Prince George's sets goals for soccer stadium
Setback in District project raises chance of D.C. United relocation, official says
Prince George's County officials said they will continue to woo the D.C. United soccer team to move to the county, especially now that a site team officials were considering in Washington, D.C., is facing an uncertain future.
"We think our chances just went up," said David C. Byrd, deputy chief administrative officer for governmental relations for Prince George's, who has led efforts to attract the professional soccer team over the past year. "Of course, we felt pretty good to begin with."
Byrd's statement comes days after officials with Clarke Enterprises announced they were pulling out of Poplar Point, a $2.5 billion waterfront development proposed on the banks of the Anacostia River.
In addition to retail, office and residential space, Poplar Point was a leading site for the D.C. United franchise to move from its current home at RFK Stadium.
While Washington leaders have tried to hold on to the team, Prince George's officials have also pitched the county as an alternative site. County leaders scored a similar win in the 1990s when the Washington Redskins agreed to relocate to FedEx Field in Landover.
Team owners and staff have met with Prince George's officials for more than a year, Byrd said.
"If they weren't still interested, they wouldn't be meeting with us," he said.
County officials have hoped to relocate the soccer team to a development near one of the county's Metro stations. A study commissioned by the Maryland Stadium Authority last fall estimated a new stadium could bring in more than $65 million in revenue from soccer games and other events to the county.
Negotiations haven't focused on a specific site in the county yet, Byrd said.
"That would have to be done," he said.
D.C. United Spokesman Doug Hicks did not return a call for comment Wednesday. County Councilman William A. Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville expressed support for the team Tuesday.
"I would love to see D.C. United come," Campos said. "They're the most successful D.C. sports team we have — next to the Caps."
Still, Campos said it would be difficult getting the county to put forward any funding to attract the team.
"Right now, it would be tough with everything going on," he said. "Clearly, we have way-bigger issues to worry about."
Byrd agreed that governments have little to offer financially to the team.
"Incentives do not abound at this time," Byrd said.
E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.