Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's initiative to relocate the Washington Capitals and Wizards to Northern Virginia is being negotiated behind closed doors among a select group of influential figures. The plan faces significant hurdles as state lawmakers decide to exclude the funding for a new arena in Alexandria from the state budget. This decision, influenced by criticism regarding the sincerity of the campaign led by Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports, notably the 'soothing sounds of a piano', puts the project in jeopardy. Despite the setback, the exclusion of the arena deal from the budget does not definitively end the proposal, but it does raise concerns about its viability in the last few days of the legislative session.
Va. lawmakers to remove arena from budget, blocking Youngkin’s best shot for it https://t.co/MKONiLRBCE
Virginia lawmakers are poised to strip plans for a new Wizards and Capitals arena from the state budget, which would block Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s best shot at bringing the teams to Alexandria. https://t.co/tt8iopDp6q
BREAKING: “Va. lawmakers to remove arena from budget, blocking Youngkin’s best shot for it” https://t.co/dPWvF0lZ4D
The Northern Virginia arena deal won’t be in the budget coming out of the General Assembly, according to multiple Capitol sources. Still doesn’t mean it’s fully dead, but that could cause some fireworks in the last few days of session
Perspective by Candace Buckner: Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports are proving that even the soothing sounds of a piano can’t make a political campaign sound sincere. https://t.co/4ainjnnoAH
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plan to lure the Washington Capitals and Wizards across the Potomac to Northern Virginia is back where it began — behind closed doors, in the hands of a few powerful figures. https://t.co/KS6x2jn4yr