Archive for the ‘DC United’ Category
Earlier today the Washington Post’s David Nakamura reported that negotiations to build the Poplar Point soccer specific stadium for D.C. United in Southeast Washington have collapsed.
“Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s administration had been negotiating for months with D.C. United’s principal investor, real estate magnate Victor A. MacFarlane, over the team’s proposal to build a 27,000-seat stadium in Ward 8, just across the Anacostia River from the Washington Nationals’ new ballpark.”
“But the negotiations stalled over the financial terms. Although United offered to pay for the $150 million stadium, it asked for about $200 million in city subsidies, including roads, tax incentives and the right to develop additional land.”
“Administration officials have decided to look at other options for the site, which is part of a 110-acre piece of federal land known as Poplar Point that is scheduled to be transferred to the District in the fall. The city will seek proposals from interested developers over the next two months, the sources said, with the focus on housing and retail. A soccer stadium still could be part of the mix but is not a top priority.”
“During the negotiations, D.C. United officials suggested they would consider moving to Maryland or Virginia, possibly the Baltimore or Loudoun County areas, if the District was unable to help build a new stadium…Another option that had been discussed is construction of a soccer stadium next to RFK, which would then be torn down.”
After reading some posts on Steven Goff’s Soccer Insider blog, the complications with the Poplar Point deal were not surprising to many. The local DC government has a reputation for being difficult to deal with, and many blame city officials for the Washington Redskins’ departure to Landover, Maryland. Will it happen again for DC United? Will they move to Arlington, Crystal City, or Reston?
Many fans are upset with the failure of the stadium deal, and have vowed to forfeit their season tickets if the team moves out of DC. Certainly a move outside of the DC city limits will deter a portion of the fan base, but I’m certain team officials are looking for areas close to the city that can be accessed via the Metro. DC United has one of the best fan bases in the MLS (17,000 average attendance per game), and I’m sure the Barra Brava and company will follow the team wherever it ends up.
The other losers in the scenario, besides the fans, are the residents of Anacostia and Ward 8. DC United officials had talked about creating a mixed-use development that would include youth soccer fields, housing, commercial space, and employment opportunties. If city officials award the area to the highest bidder, then this area will probably fill up with high-priced luxury condos and penthouses.
I hope that Mayor Fenty’s administration takes another look at DC United’s proposal before officially killing the deal.
A few months ago I published a post about DC United’s plans for a new stadium, Poplar Point. Talks between United officials and the city haven’t progressed much since that last post, but a couple of days ago some new renderings of the Poplar Point stadium were released.
To read more on the updated proposal check out this pdf file.
D.C. United defender Bobby Boswell recently posted this video of himself on Nickelodeon’s game show GUTS on his website Bobbyboswell.com. Bobby ended up losing to a girl twice his size, but he did dominate the soccer shootout and the Crag climb. Check it out.
On March 9, 2007 my blog was mentioned on D.C. United’s website.
On Saturday, April 28th, the members of DC United will wear maroon colors, instead of their usual black and red, to honor Virginia Tech. Each of the 18 jerseys worn on Saturday will be autographed by the player who wore it and then auctioned off to benefit the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.
Saturday’s game against the Columbus Crew kicks off at 7:30 p.m., and it will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet at 8:30 ET. DC United is off to a slow start at 0-2-0, so maybe this change will give them the boost they need.
D.C. United is the most successful team in Major League Soccer history, and the team currently plays in the 56,692-seat Robert F. Kennedy Memorial (RFK) Stadium, which was built in 1961.
RFK is home to D.C. United and the Washington Nationals, and a complex conversion is necessary to move the stadium seating from the baseball to the soccer/football configuration and back again. This conversion costs $40,000 per switch, and it includes rolling the 3rd-base lower-level seats into the outfield along a buried rail, dropping the hydraulic pitcher’s mound 3 feet into the ground, and laying sod over the infield dirt.
The Washington Nationals are currently constructing a new 41,000 seat, $611 million stadium along the Anacostia River. The new stadium will include hotels and office space, and fans will be able to view the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol Building from certain upper deck seats and terraces of the stadium. Construction is scheduled to be completed by April 2008.
The Anacostia River is known as “D.C.’s forgotten river,” and it is notorious for being heavily polluted. The river is not a major tourist attraction, and there are very view development sites along its riverbanks. Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, located east of the Anacostia River. In the 1950s the middle class left the area, and as a result many of the area’s shopping, dining, and entertainment facilities also left. As of the 2000 Census, Anacostia’s population is 92% African-American, 5% Non-hispanic White, and 3% other. The Anacostia neighborhood is served by the Anacostia Metro station, and is a ten minute ride on Washington Metro’s Green Line from downtown Washington.
D.C. United is working with investors, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Government to build a new soccer specific stadium, Poplar Point, on the Anacostia River across from the Nationals’ stadium by 2009. United’s proposed 27,000-seat stadium is planned to be the focal point for a mixed-use development that would include a hotel as well as office and retail space along with housing initiatives and 
riverfront revitalization. 110 acres in Anacostia are being transferred to the City in a Federal Land swap proposal. 40 acres of the development will be used in our planned development, and the remaining 70 acres will be used as open park space for the city.
Former Washington Mayor and current Council member Marion Barry, whose Ward 8 is home to the soccer stadium site, said “There’s a commitment from the mayor and myself to assist in building not only a stadium, but $800 million to $1 billion in housing, retail and office development at Poplar Point. We’re talking about up to 2,500 units of housing” with at least 30 percent reserved for affordable housing.”
Poplar Point stadium will be used for soccer games, concerts, and other entertainment events, and the new development will also include several soccer fields that can be used for community youth soccer or the D.C. United Youth Academy.
“If you build it, they will come.”
I really like this project because the mixed-use stadium development is being used as a catalyst to rejuvenate Anacostia. Stadium planners believe that the new stadium, housing units, retail-space, and offices will attract more residents, consumers, and investors to the area, and in turn will spur future developments. I also like this project because Poplar Point’s planners are concerned with designing a pedestrian-friendly environment that is accessible by Washington’s Metro system. In the past many sports teams have constructed stadiums away from urban areas and in locations only accessible by cars. Additionally, I like the fact that the planners are providing affordable housing for area residents. Anacostia is generally a poor people, and the new developments shouldn’t drive the lower class away from their homes.
Imagine this…
-Waking up in the morning in your townhouse facing the Anacostia River
-Strolling down the street to work in your office
-Stopping by the neighborhood pub after work for a few drinks with your friends
-Walking to Poplar Point stadium to watch D.C. United play
Awesome.
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