The Virginia House of Delegates voted in favor of a bill establishing a sports authority to fund and manage a proposed arena for the Washington Capitals and Wizards in Alexandria, but the legislation faces an uphill battle in the state Senate.
The bill passed 59-40 in a bipartisan House vote on Tuesday. While both chambers in the state legislature have narrow Democratic control, Democratic leaders in the state Senate have spoken out against the proposal in recent days. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) has touted the arena as a major agenda item for this session and expressed optimism after the vote passed on Tuesday, ahead of the legislature’s crossover deadline.
Now, it can be taken up by the state Senate before the chamber gavels out of session next month. Monumental Sports, owner of the Capitals and Wizards, called the vote an “important step forward” and vowed to work with the Senate to get the bill passed.
“I’m encouraged by the continued bipartisan support for the one-of-a-kind economic development opportunity in Virginia that represents 30,000 jobs and $12 billion in new economic activity for the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Following the MEI Commission’s unanimous approval in December, the bipartisan vote in committee and today’s bipartisan support on the House floor, the more decision-makers learn about this project the more they realize that the positive impact reaches all corners of the Commonwealth.”
“From toll relief in Hampton Roads to WMATA investments in Northern Virginia, from education investments in rural and urban school divisions to critical transportation arteries like I-81, Virginians know the revenues from this project will be felt in their communities. I’ve appreciated the deep engagement with legislators and their staff this week and we will continue to inform these discussions as the process moves forward,” he added.
Democratic state Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Louise Lucas effectively killed the Senate version of the bill over the weekend by not putting it on the committee’s agenda for their Monday meeting and argued the bill was “not ready for prime time.” She also accused the governor of not operating in good faith.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Democrats have been trying to extract concessions from Youngkin on their agenda items, such as gun control, in exchange for support for some of his priorities. While Democrats narrowly control both chambers, Youngkin still holds veto power.
“The bill earned strong bipartisan support. It’s an important step forward, but we know it is not the last step. We look forward to working with the leadership, members, and staff of the Virginia Senate to answer their questions and earn their support for this transformative opportunity,” Monumental Sports posted on X.
