June 23, 2008
SOCCER STADIUM PLANS LOOKING GRIM
As if it wasn't enough that key city officials have not been willing to agree to support $225 million in public financing for a new stadium at Poplar Point (they've been holding at $150 million for the last month), City Paper's Mike DeBonis reports that more than a dozen people were laid off from United owner Victor MacFarlane's company last week -- including Linda Mercado Greene, a former top aide to Marion Barry who helped secure the Ward 8 Council member's pro-Poplar Point stance. Sounds like MacFarlane has rid himself of anyone who could still help shepherd a deal between the District and D.C. United.
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Not surprised by this, with all the inaccurate reporting by WaPo and Fenty's back-peddling on this, United and McFarlene aren't left with too many options. I guess we all need to learn to chant "PG United!"
:(
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I still don't see why either renovating or redevloping RFK isn't viewed as an option for the soccer stadium. I mean, there IS already a stadium there. Why do we feel that every open parcel of land in the central portion of the city has to be "developed"?
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14th,
The reason RFK isn't a viable option is because it would cost more to renovate then to build an entirely new stadium. And the RFK site already has a new Master Plan which doesn't include plans for a stadium. That along with other options within the District have been explored by United and Poplar was deemed the most cost effective for both the District and United.
However, don't be surprised if Danny "Redskins" Snyder is able to put his new MEGADOME on the RFK site one it meets the wrecking ball!
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14th - RFK is way too big a venue for DCU, something in the 20-25K capacity range is ideal. I understand that from the lease deal they currently have they'd perpetually be in the red playing there. I'm guessing renovating the existing building would cost more and be less effective than just building something new.
Plus, what's so bad about bringing a little development east of the Anacostia?
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I'm not necessarily saying that RFK itself is an appropriate venue, but that the land is already available and being used as a stadium. It seems a logical place to put it. Nothing wrong with bringing some development east of the Anacostia, but development for development's sake doesn't benefit the neighborhood.
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It is going to take years for the District to even acquire poplar point, let alone give it away to millionaire team owners. They haven't even started preparing a plan for an Environmental Impact Statement.
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FYI, CityDesk has posted an update about Linda Greene. Apparently she wasn't actually fired.
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The RFK site is federal land like Poplar Point. United worked with the federal government and the District to transfer Poplar Point as long as it is to be used to generate taxes for the District. As it is, Poplar Point will be developed. It is just a matter of if there will be a stadium on a small parcel of land that will make the area a destination or a few more condos/offices(in a bad market) that most within Anacostia and Ward 8 will never see the benefits of. The RFK site is currently being used by the District with the assurance that it will be used as a sports venue site. DC would need to build or renovate a stadium for United to use on the RFK site and use the same type of lease agreement they currently use. The RFK site would also need enivornmental studies and fixes done before building. DC building the stadium, renovating the stadium, or even cleaning the land would not be cost effective and would likely cost more than a new stadium east of the Anacostia.
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Siruc-you place a lot of faith in those cost estimates. The cost of the Nats ballpark nearly doubled from its original estimates...the city just gift-wrapped over $50 million in hax deferments to Abe Pollin for the Verizon Center...etc. Environmental studies would have to be done for the Poplar Point site as well, which haven't even been initiated yet. I just have a hard time understanding why the city would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to construct a soccer stadium in a new location while a site that is currently home to a stadium would be vacated. Additionally, what makes you think that a soccer stadium and the (assumed) commercial development that would follow would be any more beneficial to the residents of Ward 8? Are a lot of Ward 8 residents currently making the trek out to RFK for United games? Would they start if the stadium was closer to their homes? Based upon city leaders' statements about the location of the soccer stadium, it seems they are pondering those same questions.
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Maybe she was fired for doing a poor job? Maybe she was fired because the deal is already in place?
Man, it's getting harder and harder to stay positive about the Poplar Point Stadium.
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A hearty "well done" to DC for sticking to its guns on this one. Fenty and the council floated a very generous package for developing that site, and like most greedy asshole developers (I know, redundant) McFarland wanted MORE. Fuck you, Skippy, and don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out of Dodge City. Good luck with your extortion racket in PG or Fairfax, douche.
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Sorry it took me so long to respond, 14thandYou. All there is to go on at this time are estimates and questionable reporting(mostly from the Washington Post). Ideally, the District wouldn't pay a dime, but that is not realistic to any modern development. Some infrastructure is normally part of any development whether it is housing or a new Toys 'R Us. You are right that both sites would require costly cleanup. The Poplar Point cleanup would be for the entire site and not a small parcel. Many have questioned the structural integrity and lifespan of RFK. RFK is federal land used by DC. DC would be footing the entire bill for upgrades and renovations to RFK. If DC were to build a new stadium on the site, the cost would skyrocket because of the necessary cleanup. Conservative estimates would make this not only the most expensive option, but the costliest to the District. DC does have plans for memorials and development at the RFK site after another land transfer with the federal government. Of course, Snyder could bypass every level of local and federal red tape to get the Dannydome built if he wanted...
If there weren't a single resident of Ward 8 at the games, it would be hard to argue that DC United is not well represented in Ward 8 and around the region. The team and supporter groups have been very involved in DC for years. This includes toy and food drives, fundraisers, soccer camps, and even cleaning Poplar Point.... The Clark Realty and other Poplar Point plans are for mixed development. There will be some retail commercial, but most of it is office and housing(condos). There are no major anchors to the development. A stadium would be used the entire year for various events and serve as an anchor and make Poplar Point a destination. Also, there have been several numbers floated around regarding DC's investment in the stadium and if it would be for infrastructure or the construction of the stadium. Regardless, those numbers are more than anything at RFK and United would be paying a substantial amount of the costs. Think what you want of Marion Berry, but he is behind the stadium and it would be in his Ward.