A deal to keep Washington’s NBA and NHL teams in Chinatown is finalized, in a way that was more excruciating than it had to be.
On the same day that Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson announced that the Washington Wizards and Capitals wouldn’t be moving to Potomac Yard, Jonathan O’Connell, Teo Armus, Gregory S. Schneider and Michael Brice-Saddler of The Washington Post reported that Monumental Sports & Entertainment agreed to keep the Washington Wizards and Capitals at Capital One Arena through 2050 with the D.c. government. The deal still requires the approval of the city council, but should be expected to pass.
As a part of the deal, the D.C. government agreed to spend $515 million over three years to modernize Capital One Arena and improve on public safety, such as more police officers. It also allowed Monumental the opportunity to directly manage the Entertainment and Sports Arena, the Washington Mystics’ current home, and the possibility of a new practice facility for the Washington Wizards.
The move is also due to the actions of Va. State Senator L. Louise Lucas, who is the Chairwoman of the State Senate’s Finance and Appropriations Committee. She refused to hold a hearing on bills that would have approved a stadium authority, which ultimately killed the project. Depending on how you view the project, she is either a hero or villain.
In the Washington Post article, the D.C. government and Monumental Sports were still in communication with each other after the Virginia announcement. From D.C.’s perspective, they needed to keep a vital economic stream in Chinatown, while Monumental seemed to look for insurance in case the Virginia deal fell through.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin expressed disappointment that the deal didn’t pass, saying that “personal and political agendas drove away” the project, per the Washington Post article.
There will be more details on this in the coming days. In short, the Washington Wizards and Capitals are staying where they are where they went through a lot of unneeded drama. The Washington Mystics on the other hand, are looking like losers, especially, if you feel that they should be in a permanent facility that carries more than 4,200 people. It’s one thing if this news never came out. But the news of them possibly moving back to Capital One Arena has certainly made them look like sacrificial pawns in this if that’s how you want to see things.
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