Stadium News and Speculation XI: Beltway United? The fat lady hasn't sung yet.

The owner slapped the mayor on the ass.

Snyder bought team from the estate of the dead owner.

Snyder wasn't owner when JKC Stadium was built.

The owner is a billionaire bully.



The above are the answers to your questions. I'm too lazy to match your questions with the answers. Someone else on the thread might.


The Cold Sea beat me to it & The Cold Sea isn't lazy

 

FedEx is making a lot of money, but Danny wants more. Many point to Sharon Pratt Dixon as the reason why the stadium wasn't built in DC. That was before Danny's time. He inherited the monstrosity. It isn't up to the standards nor does it feature the amenities that the newer stadiums have. It is basically just a big stadium to be a big stadium and not much more. Danny wants to host a Super Bowl and other major events like the Final Four. That would require the stadium to have a roof. Plus Danny would look like a hero if he got the Skins back in DC and improved the fan experience. Also, there are plans for the redevelopment of the FedEx Field site. PG only makes so much off of the stadium since it is pretty isolated and could easily make more off of what is in the plans for that area. I doubt PG would cry too much over losing the Skins.

 

What options is Maryland presenting?

They are doing a feasibility study to figure out if a stadium will work in PG county. That will be done in the fall.

Even if that study is very supportive, the state and county have to get a proposal from MacFarlane and approve the use of public funds. (That isn't even considering the fact that the state is raising taxes and cutting services - don't pretend for a minute that a significant state investment wouldn't be political).

Assuming the best case scenario that it is next to a prexisting development, or one in the pipline, the stadium would still have to go through the normal planning and zoning steps. NIMBY's would probably at least question the traffic and noise generated by a 27,000 seat stadium.

Then, United gets to start actually building.

At Poplar Point, the planning is pretty much already done - it is just a matter of all those other obstacles.

 

Slightly off-topic, but wasn't the site renamed Raljon after the stadium was built? What I really want to know is, is it still Raljon or is it Landover now? I haven't heard that name in a while.

 

Back when the stadium was being builit, you could see the progress of the construction while driving on the Beltway. I was heading out towards Temple Hills for a game and saw the stadium construction. I said to myself, I bet the old man will not get a chance to see a Redskins game played at his new stadium. So I play my game, head back on the Beltway and hear an announcement on the radio that Jack Kent Cooke died. And he died right around the time I made that comment to myself. Scary feeling.

 

sitruc, this is Falc. Falc, meet sitruc. Falc is our resident "The glass is empty, fallen to the ground, and smashed into a million pieces" person with respect to PP.

 

Yes, it was named Raljon after the stadium was built. It might be called Lilliput now with Lil' Danny pwnin' the 'Skins.

 

The story I remembered is that Cooke named it Raljon after his sons, Ralph (?) and John. He may have petitioned the U.S. Post Office for a new zip code but that may just be a made-up story. Anyway, Snyder removed that name from the team address book and it goes with Landover. One of the best lines to ever come from Tony Kornheiser was thank God that Cooke did not have sons with the names of Peter and Ennis.

BTW, a benefit for us with a Snyder Dome is that when the WC returns to the U.S., DC would have a very good shot at hosting the final match.

 

LOL - Truth is that I have never been enamored with Poplar Point. If a great stadium is built and it is near Metro, does it really matter where it is located? I would love to stay at RFK. That won't happen either. Some of you know that I felt strongly that Poplar Point was dead when Fenty made his decision last August. Nothing has changed to make me change my opinion.

 

I think the best case scenario would be for the stadium to be included in a preexisting development as a change to an older plan.

 

I glad I'm not the only to have thought of that.

 

I had thought of that too, but for some reason I always imagine it as a HD television broadcast instead of being in the stadium. My mind can be messed up and depressing like that sometimes. Do you have an extra ticket?

 

I'm fairly certain it is no longer called Raljon. I think that was changed and "Raljon" once again became part of Landover.

 

Way to go. You killed Jack Kent Cooke with your brain.

 

LOL - While I do not think it is likely nor that I have such super power, any of you thinking of smacking me with a neg rep, better think twice about it.

 

Hmmmmm. Sounds like a dare

 

I've been trying to follow the stadium discussion as best I can considering I'm a (way) outsider. And I must admit that many of the nuances of DC politics elude me. But a light bulb just went off.

If this has already been pointed out and discussed, please forgive. Might Fenty be intentionally dragging out the process in order to keep DCU in RFK? As I understand it, there must be a stadium at the RFK site for the city to maintain control of it. If United leave RFK, there is no longer a need for a stadium and it gets torn down. Might the foot dragging over Poplar Point, be done to give the Skins time to move back to DC?

asitis

 

So Falc, did I hear you say "I bet Fenty will not get a chance to see a United game played at their new stadium"??

 

You have left out one important point. The new Cowboy Stadium will be the absolute best stadium in this hemisphere. Snyder and his giant ego cant stand this. Danny owns FedEx free and clear. He desperately wants a new downtown stadium but the financial costs of it would be prohibitive unless the DC government helps. That is the problem. DC is in no position to help another sports franchise build a stadium. Why would any sane businessman build a new stadium while the one he currently has is paid for and his franchise is making a ton of money?

Danny looking like a hero. You must be on crack. That man is on his way to destroying the Redskins franchise. Joe Gibbs did a bunch to restore Redskin credibilty but Danny is up to his old tricks. Anybody who allows Vinny Cerrato to make football decisions will ultimately pay.

 

There is little debating that the new Cowboy Stadium will be the premier stadium in the US, but that is mostly irrelevant since Redskins Stadium can't compete with many of the newer stadiums in the US. As much as the rivalry still exists, outside of capacity the Redskins aren't competing for anything related to stadia right now. If you honestly think 'Skins fans wouldn't be more than happy with Snyder if he brought them back to DC, you don't know 'Skins fans. When the Redskins were making their way into the playoffs and even after the loss of Gibbs, people were really beginning to think Redskins were on the right track and that Snyder understood things better now than he has in the past. With the rumors around who is being courted for the head coach position, people have once again questioned Snyder like they did only a couple months ago. Regardless, there are few fans who wouldn't like a return to DC and ultimately credit Snyder for the move and add that to his legacy. Also, Snyder could finance a new stadium without DC government help if he wanted to. He could do it largely with the sale of FedEx.

//I didn't appreciate the crack comment.

 

Falc, you do not know me...do not even think about me.

However, for the sake of the Redskins and us Redskins' fans, if a stadium ever starts rising at RFK's old site, would you do all of us the favor and drive by thinking your thoughts???

Why the request? See sitruc above.

 

LOL - Anyone in particular?

To be honest, I don't think I was the only one with that thought as Cooke was reported to be ill during that time. It was just the timing that made it eery. My jaw dropped as I heard the report as it was only a few hours before that I had my premonition.

BTW, spot on for those who made the comments about Snyder wanting to do better than the Cowboys. And RFK is the only site in the city where such an undertaking is possible. There is still some land in Loudon, right? Would make sense to have a stadium near Redskins Park. Such a stadium would work for the limited NFL schedule and special events. FedEx proves that Redskins fans will go wherever to see their team. And the fact that games are played on Sundays for the most part, transportation needs are not as big a factor as it is with other sports. As we all know so well, Snyder would be smart to have a plan B.

 

I don't if it is possible for Snyder to save his image. Bringing the Skins back to DC would be awesome, but I think building a dome would tarnish his image even more.

 

He could raise $1 billion+ by selling FedEx? For some reason, that seems off to me.