RICHMOND, VA – The fate of a bill to create a sports arena in Alexandria for the Capitals and Wizards was sealed on Thursday when House Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke E. Torian declared it dead, leaving just one legislative avenue still alive in the General Assembly for Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top priority. Torian revealed that his bill will not advance in the Senate because Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman L. Louise Lucas has refused to give it a hearing. Lucas had also done the same to the Senate’s stand-alone arena bill, proposed by Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell, allowing it to die last week without a hearing.
Torian emphasized that the arena plan remains viable in the House version of the budget, and its presence there will likely keep arena discussions alive through the final hours of the legislative session. Language setting up a state sports and entertainment authority to oversee creation of the arena remains in House Bill 29, a budget bill known as a “caboose” that adjusts funding for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Even if the arena language is not in the final budget, the governor has the power to send down a new bill or call a special session. A spokesman for Youngkin did not immediately comment on the development.
The arena project has faced setbacks, with labor unions coming out against the plan, claiming it lacks important worker protections. The uncertainty surrounding the project, coupled with concerns from some legislators, has made the plan’s prospects in the General Assembly increasingly shaky.
Youngkin has pitched the arena as a way to bring NHL and NBA franchises to the state, create jobs, and give the economy a significant boost. However, skeptics on both sides of the aisle fear taxpayers could be on the hook for the bonds if the project fails, while others have objected in principle to having the state help foot the bill for a private business venture. Legislators in traffic-choked Northern Virginia said they were worried about the impact on transportation.
Earlier on Thursday, influential labor groups reiterated their opposition, which may further jeopardize the proposal’s chances of getting through the General Assembly and the Alexandria City Council.
The ongoing debate illustrates the complex dynamics at play as different stakeholders weigh the economic potential of the arena against concerns about costs and protections for workers. With the project’s future uncertain, all eyes are on how it will unfold in the coming weeks.