Residents uncovered paperwork last week revealing that Alexandria officials have hired a lobbying firm to help push state legislators to favor bills that will help build a new professional sports arena in the Potomac Yard neighborhood.
The Virginia Pubic Access Project reveals that the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) hired Two Capitols Consulting to assist with "All matters concerning the development of the Monumental sports and entertainment district in Alexandria, VA." One of the lobbyist's work descriptions is specifically "assisting with the securing the legislation and funding required to build the Monumental Sports Complex."
AEDP is a public-private partnership that receives a portion (less than half) if its funding from the City of Alexandria.
The Richmond, Virginia-based Two Capitols Consulting is a firm that helps companies, nonprofits and trade associations "develop and execute successful government strategies."
Residents quickly complained through online forums that the Alexandria City Council hasn't passed any legislation itself to move any construction forward, and hiring lobbyists gives the appearance that resident input into whether or not the arena should be built doesn't matter.
"They used our tax dollars to hire lobbyists to lobby for passage before the City Council has even voted to approve the project and before there has been ANY public engagement on this project," wrote a Del Ray resident on the neighborhood platform Nextdoor.
Monday evening, the Del Ray Citizens Association hosted a forum with State Sen. Adam Ebbin, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Mayor Justin Wilson and AEDP's Stephanie Landrum. Watch the video here. Slides from the event are available here.
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In early December, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Wizards professional basketball team and the Washington Capitals professional hockey team, announced its intention to build a new sports arena in Potomac Yard. Along with the arena would come a new headquarters for Monumental and other business opportunities including a new hotel, retail and performance venue.
Alexandria officials argue that the economic benefit to the city would be significant, not just in jobs and development, but in nationwide awareness of Alexandria as a destination. In mid-December, city officials released a summary of an HR&A Advisors analysis of the economic opportunity. The summary noted, "An entertainment district is projected to generate roughly 2.5 times the economic output of what would otherwise be built based on current development plans."
However, residents have raised concerns about traffic, crime, noise and whether any stadium financing deal has ever benefitted the people who live in the neighborhood. Residents have formed a Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard and are organizing in opposition to the planned project.
