Stadium News XVII:: Thank You Murrlin.

I drive 40 minutes East on I66 to get to Vienna Metro, then a 40 minute Metro ride to get to RFK. Now it will take an hour from Vienna to get to Maryland United instead of 40 minutes...WHO CARES! I will glady give up an extra 40 minutes of my life staring at the people on the Metro in exchange for attending a HOME game for DCU in our own stadium. Will I miss RFK, very much so. But I'd rather see a healthy DCU in it's own stadium. I may just have to drive all the way in for all the games I go to now (which will be fewer and no weekday games ever from out here), it will make tailgating easier too. But until a shovel hits the ground, I withhold all enthusiasm.

 

Build it and the Winofamily will come from VA. It will take longer and I will probably miss mid-week games, unless I can get off of work early. I just want DC United to be healthy and viable and to stay in the DC Metro-area!

I understand some VA folks (even some MD folks, too!) not being enthused about PG County because they live so far away in the boondocks. Anyone else in MD or VA, close around the Beltway or within, should not have a whole lot more trouble than they do now.

The good Lord willing and the Wilson Bridge don't rise!

 

I second the thoughts that I am willing to sacrifice to come see United in their own stadium. In my time as a fan, I have driven to see games from Virginia Beach, Newport News, Yorktown, and Richmond. Maryland...who cares. Get it built!!

 

Our Virginia family will be there!

 

Does anyone know why they would change the size from 27,000 people to 24,000, or did the Post just make up that number?

 

I'm in Virginia, have season tickets and I'm in. Look, you want to be a soccer fan in the U.S., suck it up. If DCU relocates, the nearest team will be Philly is that a far enough drive for you? My family also purchased season tickets for the Freedom, it's about an hour and ten minutes from our house to Soccerplex if the traffic is good and you know what? Who cares. It's live soccer with our home teams. This is the best stadium news I've heard in a very long time.

 

I'm a little disappointed that it's going to be on Blue rather than at New Carrollton or Greenbelt, but a new stadium is a new stadium.

 

this is a big bummer. there's a reason that the redskins are trying to get back into the city.

people on here and on the insider keep saying things like 'i'll drive from VA! no biggie' but don't grasp that the majority of the attendance don't read bigsoccer every day or become members of a supporters group. i kept half season tickets last year even though i live in brooklyn but recognize that this is going to be a major drain on attendance.

 

It's clearly not a done deal, but closer than we were yesterday. Where PG County comes up with the money in this economy is the big question, but I'm assuming there must be at least the outlines of a plan for them to go public at this point.

 

Yeah, I'm not really seeing anyone on here looking at the big picture and the long run. United is settling, plain and simple. Yes I'm happy that this means that DC will stay in Washington, but I can't llok past the fact that 10 years from now we all will still be wondering "what if?" about Poplar Point and what we could have had in the district. On top of this, it's gonna be pretty lonely out in the burbs when the Skins move back (and I'm sure they will) and we're the only sports team outside of the city limits.

All of this is ignoring the fact that we will loose fans. This isn't debatable in my mind. The idea that we're all the sudden going to gain fans from Baltimore and the rest of MD that we didn't already have is hard for me to grasp since it's geographically easier for them to get to the games in the first place. VA fans are getting left out in the cold and surveys have proven that United pulls more fans from NOVA than from MD.

I hope KP and the ownership knows what their doing because right now in the face of all of this good news I find little to feel good about.

 

it's not just the VA folks that are going to dwindle. tons of people that live in DC bike to games, that's not going to be a realistic option. i convinced coworkers that had no interest in soccer to come out and they had an awesome time, there is no way that i could have convinced them to go to MD for a game.

check out the crowds in chicago. yeah, it's still accessible via public transportation but it's far out and the crowds are weak. dallas is way worse.

the caps and wizards games are events now (well maybe not the wizards so much this year), just look at chinatown on game nights. the redskins are never, ever going to have to worry about a lack of attendance and they still recognize that being in the city makes more sense.

 

Ten years from now, Poplar Point will still be an uncleaned up overgrown property that does nothing but hold 'potential' for the District.

Yes, there will be a 'transformation' of fans at the stadium, I don't think it'll mean less overall fans from United. VA or Northwestern MD fans may skip some games (but hopefully catch them on TV), but maybe, hopefully, that void will be filled by new fans. Every team takes this risk when they get a new facility.

 

With a stadium of our own, there should be very few midweek league matches. I guess Open Cup and Int'l Competitions will fall then, but you never know. Scheduling freedom is definite plus.

I just wish Greenbelt or New Carrollton were on the list for their enhanced transit qualities.

 

Before MLS, I used to go to the Capital Centre, so this sounds similar.

I would prefer the district, but then so would DCU, and it's been 12 years. I don't blame DCU at all. In fact, the choice seemed to be MD or St. Louis, so I"m glad it looks like MD. But until I see dirt move, I'm going to be worried they could still end up in St. Louis.

 

You may be right and casual VA fans may not come out to the PG County location. However, I used to go out to the old Capital Center for Caps & Bullets games, wayyy before the Wilson Bridge was improved, and there were a lot of VA cars in the parking lots, then.

Both of these (potential) locations are just around the corner from that. If there is enough advertising, I can't see a real severe drop-off in VA fans.

Weeknight games are a different story. Those games will impact VA fans attendance. Fortunately, weeknight games seem to be getting fewer and farther between.

 

Agreed. And many teams have moved in their history. This is a sign of success, not failure. I have sympathy for those who are way out in western VA and MD, or down in Richmond and see this as the final straw. This needn't keep most of them from making weekend games, though.

For those poor souls that just can't bear the idea that the team may move about 7 miles or so, get a grip. In any case, reserve all the drama for the day we actually have a new stadium built. This deal is not done.

The biggest question is where the new lot 8 will be located?

 

Here's the press release

WHO: Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson, Delegation Chairs Sen. Anthony Muse and Del. Melony Griffith, Members of the General Assembly, as well as D.C. United co-owner Victor B. MacFarlane and team president Kevin Payne

WHAT: Sen. Muse and Del. Griffith have introduced legislation that will enable D.C. United, the most successful professional soccer club in American history, to move to Maryland and work with the Maryland Stadium Authority to build a stadium

County Executive Johnson and other elected and community leaders will join the team and legislators to support this effort

WHEN: Monday, February 16, 2009, 1:00 p.m

WHERE: Prince George's Community College
Kent Hall, Room 262
301 Largo Road
Largo, MD 20774
Media members may park in Lot

WHY: D.C. United's mission is: "Win Championships and Serve the Community." This effort would bring a great team and committed neighbor to Maryland

Real Economic Stimulus: According to an independent report commissioned by the Maryland Stadium Authority last fall, a new D.C. United stadium will generate $65 million to $80 million annually in economic impact - the equivalent of more than 1,000 jobs. Construction alone will create more than 250 additional jobs

A Stadium That Pays For Itself: The stadium is projected to cost $180 million to $195 million, seat approximately 24,000 fans, and will be funded by D.C. United and new revenue generated by the team and stadium. It will not draw on the existing tax base or require lottery funds

Bringing The Best To Prince George's County: D.C. United is the most successful club in the history of American professional soccer - with 12 major championships and fan attendance of more than 20,000 per game over the past two years

A Good Neighbor: D.C. United has a 14-year history of community involvement in the region, serving thousands of underserved children with United Soccer Club after-school programs, United Reads educational incentives, and more than 8,000 free tickets per year through Kicks for Kids

Promoting Real Opportunity: D.C. United is minority-owned, led by Victor MacFarlane and William Chang, and is committed to providing real opportunity for residents and businesses in Prince George's County.

 

Sounds like they are getting a TIF from PG County and/or the state.

 

Correct. When you get that 3rd restraining order you have to realize that even if you stalk Angelina Jolie another 12 years, she still ain't gonna sleep with you.

 

This new site proposal only adds 4 or 5 extra stops on the metro for me and I could care less. I'm coming all the way from germantown so for those who live in DC and are complaining please suck it up.