Residents and stakeholders from across the region joined forces Jan. 4 as the recently formed Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard rallied near the site of the proposed Monumental Sports and Entertainment complex, which would relocate two professional sports teams from DC to Alexandria. 

Ronald Moten of Don’t Mute DC speaks at the Jan. 4 Stop the Arena rally in Potomac Yard. 

 

"You're trying to bring a project that's supposed to improve the economic quality of this town with revenue projections and economic studies that are basically garbage," said former Alexandria Vice Mayor Andrew Macdonald, one of several speakers during the rally. “Studies show quite clearly that stadiums by and large do not financially benefit the host community.”

Macdonald is part of the coalition looking to stop the $2 billion project that would move the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards to the Potomac Yard neighborhood. 

Macdonald and others cited an economic impact report from HR&A Advisors, a consultant hired in June by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, suggesting that the new complex would result in $7.9 billion annually in revenue and bring 32,000 jobs to the area. AEDP released a summary of the report in December following the announcement of the planned complex.

“Frequently in these deals you are robbing Peter to pay Paul,” said Shannon Curtis, a member of the coalition and resident of the Potomac Yard neighborhood. “It’s not new economic benefit, it is simply pulling from somewhere else and putting it in this area. The net economic benefit does not materialize in the way you think it does.”

Curtis echoed concerns like traffic congestion, potential floods, crime and limited access to public transportation. 

“The economic questions are huge,” Curtis said. “The transportation issues seem really insurmountable and that isn’t even getting to the crime issue. How do we get new first responders to handle that? How do we get parking enforcement in the surrounding neighborhoods? What are the environmental concerns?”

Macdonald cited conversations with economists, including noted Stanford economist Roger Noll.

“I have spoken with Roger Noll, a Stanford economist,” Macdonald said. “The reports that he has seen – that this project will produce 32,000 new jobs and significant economic revenue – are illusions. It is completely made up. Here is a deal done right before Christmas, a back-room deal done in secret without involving anybody who is affected by it.”

Also attending the rally were several DC residents who oppose the project.

“People have the power to stop this,” said activist Ron Moten of Don’t Mute DC. “My city built a $65 million stadium then tell us now it’s not good enough.”

In a Jan. 9 press release, Alexandria officials announced a schedule of community engagement events, listening sessions, project briefings and site tours related to the project.

According to the release: “The City and all partners involved in the Potomac Yard Development Project are committed to listening to and understanding the needs and concerns of the community. Project partners will participate alongside the City throughout this process with the shared goal of bringing to life a collective vision for Potomac Yard and creating exceptional experiences and regional economic growth for decades to come.”

Details about the upcoming events can be found online at Alexandriava.gov and MonumentalALX.com. 

Push back on the project continues as opponents learned that the city-funded AEDP hired Two Capitols Consulting, a Richmond-based lobbying firm, to advocate for the project with the General Assembly.

Members of the coalition plan to lobby state lawmakers as well in an effort to thwart the development. 

“In the ‘90s we prevented Governor [Douglas] Wilder and Jack Kent Cooke from building a football stadium here for many of the same reasons,” said Macdonald, who was on City Council at the time. “This was never considered to be part of the development of Potomac Yard. There is a feeling that there is good development that can be had here but this is not the project that we want here.”

Said Mary Harris of North Old Town, “I think it stinks.”