D.C. Council member Charles Allen on Wednesday called out Mayor Muriel Bowser’s inaction for why basketball’s Washington Wizards and hockey’s Washington Capitals plan to relocate to Virginia.
Mr. Allen, Ward 6 Democrat, said in a statement that the mayor’s office took the Wizards and Capitals for granted while courting the NFL’s Washington Commanders in hopes they would return to the RFK Stadium site.
He said he had urged the city this year to work with Ted Leonsis, who owns the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League franchises, and help modernize the 26-year-old Capital One Arena to keep the teams downtown.
Mr. Leonsis announced he wants to move both teams to the Potomac Yard area of Alexandria by late 2028 during a Wednesday press event with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, and Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat.
Virginia’s General Assembly must approve the relocation during its upcoming legislative session next month. Still, Mr. Allen said the announcement showed that Mr. Leonsis felt his needs weren’t being met in the District of Columbia.
“Instead of prioritizing the cultural and economic engines already in our backyard, ones that are central to our continued recovery, we’ve only seen greater focus on the shiny object — and the less fruitful deal — for D.C.’s economy,” Mr. Allen said in a statement. “Today’s move wasn’t inevitable, but avoiding it required far more focus in the past year than it ever received from the administration.”
Ms. Bowser put forward a last-ditch $500 million cash offer to Mr. Leonsis this week, but the business magnate seemed to be set on creating the $2 billion sports and entertainment district in the D.C. suburbs.
If the Virginia Legislature approves the deal next month, it could break ground as soon as 2025.
Mr. Allen said D.C. needs to “move aggressively to transform downtown, with or without the Wizards and Capitals, and we must be strategic about our investments.”
Downtown has struggled to rebound from its pandemic slump, largely due to federal office workers being allowed to work remotely.