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D.C. officials plan to unveil an array of possibilities for the future of the RFK Stadium property Monday night, among them a new 65,000-seat Redskins stadium and a basketball and hockey venue capable of replacing Verizon Center.
All the proposals include a raft of suggested recreation facilities for a city with a booming population, among them playing fields, a field house, a water park and a sports-and-entertainment complex that officials likened to Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.
This is sure to start WWIII between the Feds, the City, sports enthusiasts, and urbanists. I think most would agree that it's good thing that the city seems dedicated to at least some sort of mixed-use, transit-oriented development without parking lots.
Would you be okay if the development included a new sports arena or stadium? (I can't believe Leonsis would want to leave the Verizon Center already in 2027.)
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
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Posted this in another thread regarding the Verizon center:
I don't think that this will happen, and this would be a blatantly terrible idea IMO. Verizon Center may be the best intergrated "Downtown" major stadium in the country, even better integrated than Madison Square Garden. There are bars and restaurants immediately connected to the building that you can walk up to from the street on 3 sides, not to mention the ones lining 7th street on both sides in Chinatown. The Metro connection is seamless, and again probably no city with a stadium that size has direct transit connections that good, other than MSG and maybe Barclays in the country. That Metro station sits on top of 3 lines and is a major transfer station. The Lucky Strike, the movie theater and other bars are in an adjacent building, technically, with condos above but seamlessly connect to the stadium where most people don't even realize that it's a different building. Moving Verizon Center would make no sense to me for multiple reasons. The development potential honestly there can only max out at a certain point due to the height limits, and you wouldn't even get to redevelop the entire 7th between Fst and Hst cooridor. Because there are existing condos on top of retail taking up half of that block. Leaving only the Verizon Center arena itself for actual redevelopment. I hate that it's true, but it's a fact that with height limits only going up to 12 stories the development potential you can only build up but so much. Renovate it when necessary and build the outdoor stadiums outside of downtown, but leave the Phone Booth alone, is what I say. After all it did for downtown Abe Pollin would be rolling over in his grave.
I agree with you. I can't see how Leonsis could leave that building. It's centrally located and is pretty much served by all 6 metro lines since Metro Center is only 3 blocks away.
I don't think Verizon center is moving, it will get fixed/redeveloped. The location is literally the best in the country, and there is no reason to give up on it.
I also do not like the idea of a football stadium moving to the RFK site. Let Virginia or Maryland have it. I personally hate these plans that include that use.
That part of DC can use a proper public park. I like the non-stadium plans that emphasize green space.
Verizon Center is in the perfect location. Smack in the middle of downtown. Exactly the kind of facility that part of DC needs. I would also like the Skins to move back to DC. A re-built RFK would be the right location. One of these days I'll turn on Monday night football and hear the magic words once again: "RFK is rockin" tonight".
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