(Updated 2/23) While pro-Potomac Yard arena advocates and lobbyists are making the rounds in Richmond, a group of locals are also knocking on doors in the legislature fighting against the arena.
Former Mayor Allison Silberberg joined others from the Coalition to Stop the Potomac Yard Arena in Richmond
The Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) at George Mason University released a study over the weekend that said the Potomac Yard arena development could be a boon for local workforce housing.
The study notes that the arena development is slated to include 5,400 residential units across three development phases.
One of the biggest concerns about the Potomac Yard arena has been the transportation plan: how can the city effectively get arena traffic to and from Potomac Yard?
A transportation study by consultant Kimley-Horn outlined both challenges and possible solutions to transportation concerns.
(Updated at 12:05 p.m.) The Virginia House of Delegates on Friday printed an updated version of the bill establishing the Virginia Stadium Authority, which would own and finance construction of the $2 billion Potomac Yard arena and entertainment district.
While the Senate version of the bill is still in the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House version stipulates that a 15-member Virginia Stadium Authority board would be made up of:
Governor Glenn Youngkin visited the Potomac Yard Metro station yesterday (Thursday) to address plans for the transit system’s future, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
While Youngkin signaled he’s open to some additional support for Metro, Youngkin also pushed back against claims from leaders like State Sen. Adam Ebbin that Metro funding is “a prerequisite” to the Potomac Yard Metro arena.
While the Potomac Yard arena has faced a significant amount of scorn and public scrutiny, the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce threw its support behind the arena.
In a release, the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce — also called Chamber ALX — said the arena is a positive opportunity for the city.
The proposed Potomac Yard arena could hold up to 20,000 people and those attendees have to get to the arena somehow.
A presentation prepared by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), City of Alexandria and Monumental Sports & Entertainment provided a glimpse at plans to handle that traffic.
Various concerns have surfaced about the Potomac Yard arena development, but the recurring throughline has been concerns over transportation and traffic.
Tomorrow (Thursday) the City of Alexandria is holding a virtual listening session on transportation and traffic management concerns specifically.
The ongoing public opinion war over the Potomac Yard arena continued this weekend with a public town hall at the Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street) on Saturday and a protest against it outside.
The two-hour town hall included a discussion of the economic impact of the new arena and public safety, but transportation continued to be the central piece of the Potomac Yard arena discourse.
Alexandria’s City Council is hosting a town hall tomorrow (Saturday) to discuss the new Potomac Yard arena, but some locals are planning to rally outside the event and protest.
The town hall is scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street).
Officials planning the $2 billion arena at Potomac Yard say that there will be multiple ways to park around and access the site, from accessing parking garages in nearby Crystal City and at Metro stations, with fans getting carted around in shuttles running up and down Potomac Avenue.
Transportation issues were the most frequently mentioned in a roundtable discussion on Monday with local business owners and representatives at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray. The dozen or so business leaders otherwise expressed support for the project.
