The Capitals' proposed move to Virginia has suffered a notable setback.
The Washington Capitals' proposed move to Virginia suffered a notable setback on Monday, as Senator L. Louise Lucas said Monday that the legislation for the new arena is dead.
Democrats in the Virginia Senate refused to include the sports authority bill, which includes funding and financing for a new arena in Alexandria that would become the new home for the Capitals and NBA's Washington Wizards, on the Senate Finance and Appropriations docket, citing concerns over the deal's readiness and financing, as well as the impact it would have on taxpayers and the Commonwealth.
In the meeting, Lucas called the project "half-baked," adding, "The more we use the reputation of the Commonwealth to finance billionaires' projects, the more we risk not being able to finance our own projects."
Lucas wrote on social media on Saturday that the proposal would not appear on the docket because "his proposal is not ready for prime time," while also saying that the "executive branch doesn't operate in good faith and doesn't have respect for the legislative branch."
When asked by reporters on Monday if the deal is dead, Lucas said, "As far as I'm concerned, it is," per The Associated Press.
The bill is still alive in the House but will make it to the Senate for consideration, where it could be killed by Senate Democrats.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment owner Ted Leonsis announced in December that there was a deal in place to relocate the Capitals and Wizards from Washington, D.C., to Potomac Yard, where a new facility would be built and completed by 2028.
The move has been met with opposition by fans who want the team to remain in the District while citing concerns related to employment and the commute. Leonsis has since defended the move in a letter to fans.
"I certainly acknowledge concerns heard from passionate members of the community," Leonsis wrote. "I look forward to hearing from those who are concerned, working to address any issues raised and determining why I believe this is the best decision for our fans, our thousands of full and part-time employees, the teams, the athletes, our partners and the DMV.
"Monumental Sports & Entertainment has always been about the entire DMV.... between the Capitals and the Wizards, 44 percent of fans who attend games are from Virginia, 41 percent are from Maryland and 15 percent are from Washington, D.C. The teams represent the DMV, and they belong to the entire DMV. This will never change," Leonsis added. "I disagree with claims that this project would move the teams in a way that will reduce accessibility for fans."
Lucas shot back at Leonsis on social media after Monday's hearing.
"As I said this morning in committee, if Monumental Sports will renege on its agreement with D.C., why would we ever believe they would not do the same to us?" she wrote on X.