Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan yesterday "touted a tentative agreement he's reached with federal officials to swap park land in Western Maryland to build a new stadium" for the Redskins in Prince George's County, according to Luke Broadwater of the BALTIMORE SUN. Hogan "declined to release additional details about the plans -- including the site under consideration in Western Maryland." He said that the proposals were "far from finalized." Hogan also "touted the potential of building a new stadium" for the team on 300 acres of federal property at Oxon Cove Park. Hogan said that he "met personally" with Redskins Owner Dan Snyder and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke "multiple times about the deal." Hogan also said that he "finalized a tentative agreement with Zinke last year, but has no firm agreement with Snyder." Hogan added that the plan is "just an 'idea.'" He also said that the Redskins have been "exploring the possibility" of relocating away from FedExField in Landover, including sites in Maryland, DC and Virginia. Snyder last week began "getting help" from DC officials, congressional Republicans and the Trump administration to "clear a major roadblock to building a new 60,000-seat stadium at the site of RFK Stadium" (BALTIMORE SUN, 12/12).
ROADBLOCKS REMAIN: Hogan said that his deal with Zinke is "not final," and insisted that Maryland would "not contribute financially toward construction of a new stadium." Hogan: "We are not going to build a billionaire's stadium, either. We have no interest whatsoever, and there have been no discussions, ever, about us spending one penny in construction." In DC, Clarke & Chason note local officials have "pushed back swiftly" on Hogan's "under-the-radar approach to negotiations and sounded alarms about an NFL stadium's impact on traffic and the environment." One source said that the Redskins have "indicated that they consider the Oxon Cove site to be 'of great interest.'" However, Snyder is "said to prefer the RFK site for several reasons, including sentimentality, prestige, accessibility and the prospect of capturing a younger fan base" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/12). Also in DC, Matt DeBonis noted two "key lawmakers -- the incoming chairman of a House panel and the ranking Democratic senator directing the Interior Department’s spending -- said they are firmly opposed to rushing through any legislation that could pave the way" for a Redskins stadium on federal land. U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) "spoke out" against Snyder's effort to "insert language in a sweeping year-end spending bill that could clear a crucial obstacle to building a new facility" at the RFK site (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/11).
