The easiest path to building an arena is now dead because State Sen. L. Louise Lucas wouldn’t entertain discussions about it despite a budget provision passing in the House of Delegates. But Va. Gov. Glenn Youngkin can still force the issue in different ways like a special session.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s proposed arena in Alexandria, Va. has been omitted in the next state budget, according to Gregory S. Schneider and Laura Vozzella of The Washington Post. Because of this, the easiest plan to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals to Potomac Yard in 2028 is dead. But that doesn’t mean that this project isn’t happening.
The arena is not included in the budget because a proposed deal to form a stadium authority passed the House of Delegates, but didn’t get a hearing in the State Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The Chairwoman, Sen. L. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, a city in Hampton Roads, declared any bill dead.
She seems to be celebrating the news as well.
Who DID THIS?! pic.twitter.com/q0IvchIoge
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) March 7, 2024
As I stated in previous pieces, the arena deal is not a Democrat vs. Republican issue, even though Lucas is a Democrat and Va. Governor Glenn Youngkin is a Republican. It could be more of a Northern Va. (as long as they’re not NIMBYs) vs. the rest of the state issue because many local politicians in Alexandria, who are mostly Democrats, support it. So this is a bipartisan and statewide issue that most Virginia politicians want.
Schneider and Vozzella noted that the House of Delegates Speaker, Don. L. Scott, Jr., also from Portsmouth, didn’t think the arena was dead yet.
Before any of you believe that the Alexandria arena is not happening at all due to one state senator, there are other ways that Youngkin especially can do to force votes on the arena.
The current State Assembly session adjourns on Saturday, but Youngkin can still call a special session to force all legislators back to Richmond. He could also raise this matter in April. If the arena comes up in legislation outside the budget, there will be actual roll call votes required to pass it, as opposed to the budget, which is typically voted on a more routine “up-or-down vote” basis.
In short, the arena isn’t dead, but it will involve more arm twisting than Youngkin and Monumental Sports & Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis would like. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.