Crime
Few D.C. officials mourning United move to Pr. George’s
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
February 17, 2009
District leaders shed few tears Tuesday over the impending loss of D.C. United to Prince George’s County, and questioned why Maryland would put tens of millions of dollars behind a soccer stadium during a historically bad economic downturn.
“Lots of people would make the argument that we have higher priorities than soccer right now,” said D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray. “It isn’t as if we have a big bank account to put on the table.”
United owner Victor MacFarlane on Monday committed to relocate his team to a new, $195 million, 24,000-seat stadium in Prince George’s County. The announcement followed the recent collapse of negotiations between MacFarlane and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty over a new stadium at Poplar Point.
Fenty never warmed to the United proposal. He bid the team adieu on Tuesday.
“While the District will greatly miss being home to the team, the administration congratulates both D.C. United and Prince George’s County on their successful negotiations,” Fenty said in a statement. “As the team finishes out its time playing at RFK, we will continue to do everything necessary to make their stay successful.”
In D.C. there has been a noticeable absence of indignity or disappointment over the loss of United, which draws more than 20,000 fans per game to RFK Stadium. Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry is the exception, publicly slamming Fenty for his handling of United’s potential move to Poplar Point.
It is “reckless” and a “dereliction of responsibility” that Prince George’s leaders would throw their weight behind a stadium project but not behind a plan to fix their rotting health system, said at-large Councilman David Catania. Any politician who puts scarce resources into “something as frivolous as a soccer stadium has their priorities completely out of whack,” he said.
“While they’re off on this frolic and detour avoiding the tough choices, we’re suffering here in the District,” Catania said.
Maryland leaders say they will pay down the stadium debt with rent payments from the team and tax revenues generated by the project — the state would be on the hook if the taxes fell short. The project would create a “viable and wonderful entertainment venue that will actually increase the tax base” without requiring a dime from the county’s general fund, said county spokesman James Keary.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Keary said of Catania. “I’m not sure he knows where Prince George’s County is.”
Jack Evans, the Ward 2 D.C. councilman, is resigned to the loss despite what he deemed the “enormously good” benefits of a professional sports franchise.
“Unfortunately,” Evans said, “I think the time will come when people look back at this and ask, ‘Why did this happen?’ ”
“Lots of people would make the argument that we have higher priorities than soccer right now,” said D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray. “It isn’t as if we have a big bank account to put on the table.”
United owner Victor MacFarlane on Monday committed to relocate his team to a new, $195 million, 24,000-seat stadium in Prince George’s County. The announcement followed the recent collapse of negotiations between MacFarlane and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty over a new stadium at Poplar Point.
Fenty never warmed to the United proposal. He bid the team adieu on Tuesday.
“While the District will greatly miss being home to the team, the administration congratulates both D.C. United and Prince George’s County on their successful negotiations,” Fenty said in a statement. “As the team finishes out its time playing at RFK, we will continue to do everything necessary to make their stay successful.”
In D.C. there has been a noticeable absence of indignity or disappointment over the loss of United, which draws more than 20,000 fans per game to RFK Stadium. Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry is the exception, publicly slamming Fenty for his handling of United’s potential move to Poplar Point.
It is “reckless” and a “dereliction of responsibility” that Prince George’s leaders would throw their weight behind a stadium project but not behind a plan to fix their rotting health system, said at-large Councilman David Catania. Any politician who puts scarce resources into “something as frivolous as a soccer stadium has their priorities completely out of whack,” he said.
“While they’re off on this frolic and detour avoiding the tough choices, we’re suffering here in the District,” Catania said.
Maryland leaders say they will pay down the stadium debt with rent payments from the team and tax revenues generated by the project — the state would be on the hook if the taxes fell short. The project would create a “viable and wonderful entertainment venue that will actually increase the tax base” without requiring a dime from the county’s general fund, said county spokesman James Keary.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Keary said of Catania. “I’m not sure he knows where Prince George’s County is.”
Jack Evans, the Ward 2 D.C. councilman, is resigned to the loss despite what he deemed the “enormously good” benefits of a professional sports franchise.
“Unfortunately,” Evans said, “I think the time will come when people look back at this and ask, ‘Why did this happen?’ ”
