Tag: Glenn Youngkin

Virginia Governor seeking Commanders stadium in Virginia?

The Virginia Governor has made it clear he wants a new stadium in the Commonwealth.

Josh Harris is in a win-win situation right now.

According to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin scheduled a special session of the General Assembly for next Wednesday where an amendment to study a new Commanders stadium could be on the budget.

Plainly speaking, public perception was so bad under the ownership of Daniel Snyder that new owner Josh Harris is reaping the benefits of a honeymoon period and then some.

Harris is loved by fans; players and coaches have spoken their praise. Ticket sales for the 2023 season have increased. Excitement is in the air.

Daniel Snyder was blocked in his efforts for a new stadium by the city of Washington, Virginia and Maryland. He was not going to be able to do business to get a new stadium.

With Snyder out of the way, those seeking to do business with the Commanders are going out of their way to consider the possibilities of doing business with Harris and his ownership group.

Recently Youngkin attended the Commander’s training camp. In addition, Younkin recently said,  “I do believe that Virginia would be a great place for the Commanders to not just have training camp, not just have their headquarters, but in fact to play all their games.”

These reports on Wednesday might actually be premature. It is not known what adjustments are being proposed for the budget by Youngkin, and it is also not known what the details will be for a study provision in the budget regarding a new Commanders stadium in Virginia.

The team’s facilities and practice fields are already in Virginia. The property is currently in Ashburn, and previously the team facilities were in Herndon. Northern Virginia, in the past, was Redskins country just as much as Maryland. The number of fans attending games who reside in Virginia is no doubt more than those actually living in the city.

However, wherever the stadium is being considered, one thing that is altogether certain is that the other two locations in the DMV will complain, declaring it should be in their area.

With ongoing investigations by both the NFL and legal authorities into the conduct of the former owner, Snyder increasingly found it difficult to have ongoing discussions regarding a new stadium.

The future is unknown regarding a new Commanders stadium, but aren’t things trending upward for Josh Harris?

 

Maryland Governor Wes Moore visits Commanders training camp

He makes it clear that Maryland wants to keep the Commanders.

When the Washington Commanders began training camp last month, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin visited. Youngkin mingled with fans and spoke to the media. His message was clear: Virginia was the best place to live, work, raise a family and build a new NFL stadium for the Commanders.

On Wednesday, it was Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s turn to visit Ashburn for training camp. Moore talked to fans, took pictures and also spoke to the media.

His message: The Commanders should remain in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

“This is a perfect marriage,” Moore said. “The Commanders are an incredibly important and vital part of not just our economy but part of our culture. And so we know this is going to be a championship team going forward; it’s exciting about the new vision that new ownership has in coming on board. And I think it really does correlate and correspond well to how we’re thinking about things in the state of Maryland. So, we are excited for them to be able to build and grow and win in the state of Maryland.”

Before the sale was completed, minority owner Magic Johnson met with Moore sometime in the spring, although it was unclear what was discussed. Moore noted how he’s spoken to the new ownership group.

“Yes, so we’ve already been having sensitive conversations with the new ownership group,” Moore said. “And I think there is a shared vision that isn’t just about creating a winner on the field, but it’s about how we are creating winners off the field. How we are thinking about driving entrepreneurial activity, creating new businesses, making sure there’s transportation assets that can easily experience for people to be able to go to the games and get back from the games. So we’ve already been having sensitive conversations, and I’m excited about where they are, where they’re going and that we have an excited shared future together.”

Moore stated that Maryland was unified in its belief that the “Commanders belong in Prince George’s County.”

Moore again stated: “We want the Commanders in Prince George’s County.”

Is there a timeline? Moore said Maryland is moving now.

Youngkin made his pitch. Moore made his pitch. Will leaders from Washington, D.C., be next to show up for training camp and make their pitch?

Moore made his visit wearing the No. 99 jersey of defensive end Chase Young — a native of P.G. County. You have to credit Moore; he visited Ravens camp this week in Owings Mills in a Lamar Jackson jersey.

LOOK: The top photos from Day 2 of Commanders training camp

A look at some the best images from Day 2 of training camp.

It was a hot day for the Washington Commanders on Day 2 of training camp in Ashburn. New owner Josh Harris was back Thursday, and minority partners Mitchell Rales and Mark Ein joined him. Harris took some time with the fans, signing autographs and taking pictures.

In addition to the owners, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also attended practice and spent time talking to Harris.

As for what happened on the field, defensive end Chase Young sure looks like he’s all the way back. Young looked explosive and unstoppable, coming off the edge at times.

Offensively, quarterback Sam Howell continues to target star wide receiver Terry McLaurin for big plays.

With two days in the books, here’s a look at some of the best photos from Day 2 of Commanders training camp.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin attends Commanders training camp

Youngkin believes Virginia is the best place for the Commanders new stadium.

When the Washington Commanders opened training camp Wednesday, owners Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales were present. The pair were spotted talking to legendary Washington quarterback Joe Theismann.

On Thursday, Harris and Rales returned, along with another of Harris’ minority partners, Mark Ein. The new owners were popular with the fans.

Also in attendance was Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Was Youngkin in town to enjoy some football, greet Washington’s new owners, or talk business?

Perhaps it was all three.

Virginia, of course, is one of three localities hoping to build a new football stadium for the Commanders. Washington, D.C. and Maryland have let it be known that they want the NFL franchise in their jurisdictions. At one point, Virginia looked like the most likely outcome for a new stadium until everything fell apart for former owner Daniel Snyder.

Youngkin spoke with Washington, took pictures and signed autographs. He was also asked about the possibility of a new stadium in Virginia. Youngkin was clear he believes Virginia is the best place for a new Commanders stadium.

“I think Virginia is the best place to live, work, raise a family and it should be the best place to have a professional football team,” Youngkin said.

Youngkin himself is a former athlete, having played four years of college basketball at Rice before entering the business world. He was elected governor of Virginia in Nov. 2021, beginning his term in Jan. 2022.

Washington Football Team’s discussions with Virginia for new stadium are ‘very serious’

Washington appears to be making good progress toward a new stadium deal in Virginia. Still, a long way to go.

Is the Washington Football Team finally closing in on a location for a new stadium? If new Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has any say in the matter, Washington will soon be building its new stadium in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

On Friday, the Virginia House and Senate introduced two bills with the hope of luring the Washington Football Team to the state. The goal is to build a massive sports and entertainment complex in Prince William County or Loudoun County, both of which are in the northern part of the state.

Team headquarters is in Ashburn, which is in Loudoun County. FedEx Field is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Washington has a lease to play at FedEx Field until 2027; team owner Daniel Snyder also owns the stadium. The state of Maryland and Washington, D.C., both remain in contention for a new stadium for the team, but the momentum clearly favors Virginia right now, with Youngkin — who took office on Jan. 15 — intent on making it happen.

“Virginia is a football state. We deserve a football team — both as a source of shared pride and of state revenues,” House Majority Leader Terry G. Kilgore said, per Laura Vozzella of The Washington Post. “We have a business-minded, forward-thinking governor and House majority, and as we continue to pursue this opportunity, I think it’s important for us to understand how this project and its revenues will benefit the whole state, from Arlington to the mountains of Southwest Virginia.”

Earlier this week, State Sen. Jeremy McPike spoke with Tom Fitzgerald of Fox 5 D.C. and said talks between the commonwealth and the WFT were “very serious.”

McPike also offered the following comments to Fox 5:

There are some locations under consideration, I can’t talk about specific sites, but certainly the existing station contract in Maryland is up in the next four years. And so they’ve got to start to make plans now, the construction of a stadium takes years and years.

Much like the new name, this is a divisive topic. You have fans from each area who will be upset with where Washington decides to build its next stadium. For many Washington fans, Washington, D.C. is the most logical choice, but that doesn’t seem possible for many reasons.

Washington’s 25 years at FedEx Field have been disastrous. The stadium is a dump and the laughingstock of the NFL.

For the first time in years, there seems to be real progress toward a new Washington stadium.