DC United Seeks $225M For Stadium, Council Debates Finance Plan
 |
| DC United Seeking $225M For Stadium |
MLS United officials yesterday continued to lobby the city government for $225M in public money for a new stadium, "far more than some city leaders say they would support," according to David Nakamura of the WASHINGTON POST. DC City Council member Marion Barry yesterday said that he "expects to be part of a group that will submit legislation at the council's meeting Tuesday that would authorize" DC Mayor Adrian Fenty to spend $150M to help fund a 27,000-seat stadium for United. But DC Council Chair Vincent Gray said that he "has not agreed to a financing plan" and that he "wants to do more research about stadium financing." Gray added that he "does not expect a proposal to come Tuesday." DC CFO Natwar Gandhi also expressed concerned with the $150M amount. But sources said that DC Council member Jack Evans, who along with Gray has "been taking the lead on the issue in the council," is "willing to co-sponsor the legislation if United works out a deal with Fenty's office over the amount of the public subsidy by tomorrow." City officials said that the project "remains tenuous because Fenty and the council recall the extended political fight over the public financing" of the $611M Nationals Park. Sources added that Barry and Evans want "at least seven of the 13 council members to co-sponsor the bill before they introduce it, in hopes of avoiding a repeat" of the Nationals Park dispute (WASHINGTON POST, 5/29).
VOTE NO: In DC, Marc Fisher wrote the city has "no business paying for such a facility or grabbing riverfront parkland to build it." An MLS stadium "might be used 35 times a year," which is "nowhere near the intensity of use that can gin up crowds for an entertainment district." If a city "doesn't get ancillary development out of investing in a sports facility, then it cannot justify pumping public dollars into a profit-making business" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/29).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
VW Launches Ads Around MLS Playoffs
November 14, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
DC Mayor Talks Redskins, United
November 14, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Study Examines MLS Stadium In Maryland
September 24, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Layoffs Complicate MLS Stadium Effort In DC
June 25, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
DC Reps Back Away From Soccer Proposal
June 2, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
Garber Discusses All Things MLS In Q&A
November 19, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
MLS Franchise Notes
November 19, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
A's Focus On Financing Fremont Ballpark
November 18, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
VW Launches Ads Around MLS Playoffs
November 14, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Bay Area WPS Team To Unveil Club Plans
November 14, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
