Big story this morning on the longstanding controversy over whether the District wants to help build a new soccer stadium for DC United. The on-again, off-again Poplar Point location for a new stadium appears to be on again in the minds of the Fenty administration. The Mayor is set to announce that he has selected Bethesda-based Clark Realty Capital as the developer of Poplar Point, and the Post reports that Fenty suddenly has in mind to pull together $190 million in public funding to make the stadium a reality.

This a pretty big 180 degree swing for Fenty, who previously angered many Ward 8 activists, especially Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry, by appearing to back out of a tentative agreement with United owner Victor MacFarlane to include a United stadium at Poplar Point. Fenty then opened up the development to a bidding process, and DC United threatened to take the team to Maryland. This news suggests Fenty is still interested in finding a home for United at Poplar Point.

Of course, there are still a lot of next steps before anything happens with a Poplar Point stadium. The $190 million figure is a long way off from the $350 million MacFarlane originally expected from the city. And Fenty would have to get the D.C. Council, still reeling from the price tag of the Nationals stadium, to go along with his plan. You can be sure a number of them will be gun shy about lending their support.