Keeping D.C.’s Sports Teams in D.C.
STATEMENT
Last week we got the great news that our sports teams would remain here in the District after all. The Wizards and the Capitals have been a huge part of our collective pride in this city. They and Capital One Arena are also huge contributors to the District’s economy and the vibrancy and health of our downtown.
This morning I had the opportunity to speak with the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development about ensuring strong access to transit, improvements to the neighborhood that will benefit the local community and those visiting Chinatown, and labor agreements that will ensure good jobs. I and my fellow councilmembers will be fighting to secure all of these in the final agreement.
And specifically I appreciate that the deal recommends establishing a new vending zone as a way of managing street vending in the area.
A reasonable conversation has ensued: what is reasonable for the District to give to make that happen? Why are we giving $515 million to a for-profit to make more money? What else are we throwing into the mix? And how do we balance that price tag with the very real cuts we are likely to implement in our operating budget in a very difficult budget year.
As others have explained, the cost for this project will not come out of D.C. government’s operating budget. We are making a significant capital budget investment, which will give a significant return in revenue that can be used year after year in our operating budget that will pay for social services, education, policing, public works – all the things that D.C. government is responsible for every day.
This has surfaced improvements to laws and procedures that have long been needed. I look forward to working with the Mayor, colleagues, and Monumental on items like improved pick-up and drop-off, a new proposed vending zone, and making it easier to pedestrianize streets – all things I’ve fought for or advanced in my Committee on Public Works & Operations.
There are a few items that will need tweaking in the final agreement.
One of the key values DC brings to the choice to keep the Wizards and Capitals in the District is our fantastic transit system that gets people to the arena and taking away from that makes no sense to me. I will object to moving the bus stop at 7th and H streets, where the busiest north-south and east-west routes intersect.
As the chair has noted, we will be voting today on going forward with the capital investment, not on the terms of the deal. Those will come later.
Between now and then, I and other councilmembers will be weighing in and advocating for some of these adjustments to the terms. I believe that with small but important changes we have an excellent opportunity for the District, one that will speak to our civic pride, jobs creation, economic opportunity, and future tax revenue.