Plans for a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals are not in the Virginia state budget that was presented Thursday and is expected to be approved Saturday.
In December, Ted Leonsis, who owns Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the teams' parent company, and Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia, announced a plan to move the teams to Alexandria. Youngkin's best path to that outcome has now been blocked.
L. Louise Lucas, a state senator and chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, told the Washington Post on Wednesday that Youngkin's administration had "twisted my arm, they've bent my ears, and I still told them, 'No.'" She also posted a meme of herself next to a grave for the proposed arena.
In a press conference on Thursday, Youngkin called the move a "colossal mistake" and told reporters that the "single roadblock" was one senator: Lucas (although he didn't say her name). "I am a roadblock, yes," Lucas said afterward. She also said that the $1.5 billion in publicly issued bonds that would subsidize the move represented a bad deal for taxpayers.
"A better deal would be if they paid for it themselves," Lucas said, per the Post.
Who DID THIS?! 😂 pic.twitter.com/q0IvchIoge
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) March 7, 2024
Youngkin did not indicate Thursday that he plans to ask lawmakers to vote on a budget amendment or a standalone bill on the arena plan. Both of those paths, however, are more difficult than including the plan in the budget bill, as either one would require majority support in both the House of Delegates and the Senate.
The thorn in his side, watches over his shoulder. VA St. Sen. Louise Lucas looking on as Governor Youngkin expresses his anger that the legislature has killed the Monumental Move. Lucas telling us earlier she’s proud she killed the arena deal. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/qqr6vKr16C
— Drew Wilder (@DrewWilderTV) March 7, 2024
The proposed move was controversial from the moment that it was announced. Late last year, former Wizards star Bradley Beal publicly pleaded for Leonsis to keep the team in D.C.
In December, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Council Chairman Phil Mendelson offered Leonsis $500 million in public funds to improve Capitol One Arena, where the Wizards and Capitals currently play. That offer still remains on the table.
"The Arena and Monumental Sports have been partners with the District for almost 30 years, and a great asset to downtown," Mendelson said in a statement released Thursday. "As a deal in Virginia remains uncertain, the Council continues to be ready to welcome Monumental Sports' change of mind."
