In the weeks since plans to bring the Wizards and Capitals to a new entertainment district in Alexandria鈥檚 Potomac Yard neighborhood fell apart, a rental car company has made an offer to turn the Northern Virginia property into a parking lot.
Such proposals, Councilman Canek Aguirre said, are frustrating because the city has worked to add public transportation, including a new Metro station, nearby.
鈥淭his is what people don鈥檛 understand 鈥� we鈥檙e trying to really create a place that people want to go,鈥� Aguirre said. 鈥淭his is a perfect example of what we鈥檝e been getting — offers to build a parking lot. And I absolutely refuse to do that.鈥�
Two weeks ago, Monumental Sports and Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis stood next to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to announce that each side have reached an agreement to keep the sports franchises in the city. That put an end to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin鈥檚 monthslong attempt to lure the teams to Alexandria.
Those talks ultimately fell apart when the proposal was left out of the state鈥檚 budget process. Youngkin blamed partisan politics for the deal鈥檚 demise.
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Aguirre said he was abroad at the time of D.C.鈥檚 announcement, and was disappointed to learn the plan fell through.
鈥淲e (have to) roll our sleeves up and figure something else out because we understand and realize the situation we are in financially,鈥� Aguirre said. 鈥淲e need to diversify our tax base, especially on the commercial side. A huge burden falls on our residents in terms of the residential taxes that they have to pay.鈥�
Even before the arena deal was a possibility, Aguirre said lawmakers have been hoping to transform Potomac Yard into a “high-density, high-activity center.” The city put the transportation infrastructure in place, and was able to support a project to bring Virginia Tech鈥檚 Innovation Campus to the neighborhood.
Lawmakers envisioned the space would have office buildings and activity centers, but 鈥渂ecause of the pandemic, everything鈥檚 changed,鈥� Aguirre said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been wanting to see things come into the Potomac Yard area, but we haven鈥檛 had any takers,鈥� Aguirre said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been the difficulty, and what some of the impetus to go after this potential arena proposal was around.鈥�
Aguirre rejected the concept of using the land for parking. A nearby shopping center, anchored by Target, has 20 years remaining on its lease. Now, the city is going back to the drawing board for how to use the remaining acres.
It鈥檚 disappointing, Aguirre said, 鈥渢hat we weren鈥檛 allowed to have this conversation at a local level, and really try to see if we could put (together an arena deal) that would work for our community.鈥�
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