The signing. Photo by Sarah Anne Hughes.

On an absolutely disgusting September day, in front of a crowd of sweating reporters and unionized construction workers, Mayor Vincent Gray, D.C. United co-owner Jason Levien and labor leaders signed a project labor agreement for the planned soccer stadium at Buzzard Point.

The PLA, which Gray said in “virtually identical” to the one used to build Nationals Park, is “really about jobs for D.C. residents,” the mayor said. “D.C. residents will not have to wait for consideration,” Gray said before repeating the statement for emphasis. It’s also about securing the big contracts, those above $6 million, for firms that use union labor.

Gray noted that “we still haven’t settled on the land,” which will be acquired through a $150 million swap deal, but said “we’re moving apace with that as well.” He later said he had no new news to report on that front.

The $300 million plan to build a new D.C. United stadium was announced in July. If all goes according to plan, the new stadium should be completed in time for the 2016 season.

The PLA won’t be released until all parties sign it, which should be in the coming day, according to D.C. City Administrator Allen Lew.