Steve Burns
WMAL.com
DULLES, Va. – (WMAL) The Redskins open the season tonight under the bright lights of FedEx Field in Prince George’s County, Maryland. But could their future story be told inside a Loudoun County stadium? One County Supervisor wouldn’t mind exploring it – under the right conditions.
Redskins owner Dan Snyder has made no secret he’s looking to get the ball rolling on a new stadium. The team’s lease at FedEx is up in 2027, when the stadium turns 30 years old. Snyder has also already hired an architectural firm. While the RFK Stadium site in the District has been mentioned as a possibility, the only other leading contender seems to be down the road from the team’s current practice facilities in Loudoun County, Virginia. But the prospect doesn’t come without concerns.
“People have really grown skeptical of NFL stadiums because of their failed economic impact around the country,” Supervisor Ron Meyer tells WMAL. With just a handful of events each year, he says, a quiet stadium surrounded only by empty parking lots has little chance to make much of a local impact.
“(A deal) doesn’t have to be so much centered around the stadium, as around the economic development around the stadium. That’s so key,” Meyer says. “If you have economic development where there’s commercial businesses and mixed use around the stadium and there’s things going on throughout the year, it can have a really incredible economic impact.”
Though one obstacle is a sticking point for Meyer: No public funds. At many other NFL stadiums, taxes have been levied upon local residents as a way of paying for some or all of a stadium. Snyder may ask for the same, and Meyer says that would be a dealbreaker.
“I think what people are worried about, is the team would come and ask for public money,” Meyer says. “I think that’s off the table for Loudoun County.”
One of the likeliest spots for a new stadium is on undeveloped land north of Dulles Airport, near where a new Silver Line station will be built.
“We have Metro coming out to Loudoun, and we need some commercial development. We need job creators to move to that corridor,” Meyer says. “If this can help with that, then let’s take a look. If not, we’ll probably take a pass.”
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Karen Nutini/Wikipedia)
