Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards give backpacks to 700 Alexandria students

Published August 15, 2025 at 3:00PM

The Washington Wizards helped tip off the 2025-26 school year with a giveaway event at William Ramsay Recreation Center on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Washington Wizards helped tip off the 2025-26 school year with a backpack and supplies giveaway today (Aug. 15) at William Ramsay Recreation Center.

Wizards forward Anthony Gill made a surprise appearance and joined rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins at the event. The players, along with mascot G-Wiz and the Wizards Dancers, gave 700 backpacks to the students at William Ramsay Elementary School (5700 Sanger Avenue), which is located next to the recreation center and officially opens for the first day on Monday, Aug. 18.

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Washington Wizards to ‘tip-off’ 2025-2026 school year with backpack giveaway at William Ramsay Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published August 6, 2025 at 3:30PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt with G-Wiz, the Washington Wizards mascot, at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, Aug. 23, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Washington Wizards will tip off the 2025-2026 school year at William Ramsay Elementary School next Friday (Aug. 15).

Even though school officially starts on Monday, Aug. 18, Washington Wizards rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins are joining mascot G-Wiz and the Wizards Dancers in handing out free Wizards backpacks filled with school supplies, water bottles, and more. The event will be held at the school, located at 5700 Sanger Avenue, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m.

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Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill gives 200 backpacks to kids at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published August 23, 2024 at 1:45PM

Washington Wizards Forward Anthony Gill at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, Aug. 23, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill handed out 200 stuffed backpacks to fourth and fifth graders at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School in Alexandria’s West End this afternoon.

The event is one of many from team owner Monumental Sports and Entertainment was part of a regional giveaway at schools in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. In Alexandria, the students at Tucker also received a free book from MahoganyBooks, a Wizards t-shirt, and an autographed card.

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Neighborhood poll reveals widespread opposition to Potomac Yard arena

By James Cullum

Published March 11, 2024 at 3:45PM | Updated March 12, 2024 at 3:41PM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

Neighborhoods next to the proposed $2 billion arena at Potomac Yard are against the project, according to results from a recent poll.

Of the 496 survey respondents from the Del Ray Citizens Association, Hume Springs Civic Association, Lynhaven Civic Association and the Rosemont Citizens Association, 58% oppose the project, 29% support it, 12% have mixed feelings and just under 1% aren’t sure.

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Alexandria is developing a public safety and event services plan for new arena at Potomac Yard

By James Cullum

Published January 22, 2024 at 3:30PM | Updated January 22, 2024 at 4:26PM

Rendering of outdoor plaza at Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

Alexandria doesn’t have the resources to adequately cover the public safety aspect of the proposed Potomac Yard arena and entertainment district, sources in the Alexandria Police Department and Sheriff’s Office told ALXnow.

The city currently does not have the resources to cover the addition of the arena and entertainment district at Potomac Yard. The Alexandria Police Department has just over 300 officers, the Sheriff’s Office has around 165 deputies and the Fire Department has about 300 fire and rescue personnel.

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Thursday town hall will cover impact of Washington/Wizards arena on Alexandria businesses

By James Cullum

Published January 9, 2024 at 2:30PM

Rendering of outdoor plaza at Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

The impact that the proposed Washington Wizards/Capitals arena at Potomac Yard will have on local businesses will be discussed in a virtual town hall meeting this week.

Stephanie Landrum, CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), will speak about the ramifications in a Zoom meeting at noon on Thursday (Jan. 21).

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New report says Potomac Yard arena would jump start economic development in the neighborhood

By Vernon Miles

Published December 26, 2023 at 2:45PM | Updated December 27, 2023 at 1:23PM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

(Updated 12/27) An economic impact report released last Friday said the new Potomac Yard arena would create 30,000 jobs and more than double the economic output of previous development plans.

The report came from HR&A Advisors, a consultant hired by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership AEDP in June as a technical advisor.

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New petition calls for halt of Potomac Yard arena before ‘ruining our communities’

By James Cullum

Published December 19, 2023 at 1:30PM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

A new Change.org petition opposing the new Washington Wizards/Capitals arena at Potomac Yard is slowly gaining steam.

Last week, Ted Leonsis, the CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and owner of both teams, announced the move alongside Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. The $2 billion proposal would mean a new entertainment district for the area, which critics say will worsen traffic and decrease property values.

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AEDP president says future of Potomac Yard Target is a top question for many locals

By Vernon Miles

Published December 18, 2023 at 3:55PM | Updated December 18, 2023 at 4:18PM

Target in Potomac Yards (image via Google Maps)

While people around the region have been discussing the proposal to move the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to a new Potomac Yard arena, Alexandria Economic Development Partnership President and CEO Stephanie Landrum said one of the most popular questions she’s been getting from Alexandrians is “What will happen to the Target?”

The Target (3101 Richmond Highway) at Potomac Yard was controversial back when it opened, according to a Washington Post article from 1997.

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State Senator: Metro funding is a ‘prerequisite’ for Potomac Yard plans

By Vernon Miles

Published December 18, 2023 at 11:15AM

The Potomac Yard Metro station (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

With WMATA announcing potentially drastic cuts to the Metro system, some Alexandria leaders are saying the Potomac Yard arena announcement can be leveraged to get Virginia to pony up more support.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, last week Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin took to the stage with local leaders and Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis to announce plans to build a new arena in Potomac Yard.

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Poster lampooning Potomac Yard development calls on Washington Commanders to move to the area

By James Cullum

Published December 15, 2023 at 1:55PM | Updated December 15, 2023 at 2:44PM

A new poster in Potomac Yard lampooning development by calling for the Washington Commanders football team to come to the area (courtesy photo)

Updated at 2:45 p.m. New posters are lampooning the recent announcement that the Washington Capitals and Wizards are moving to Potomac Yard by demanding one more thing — for the Washington Commanders to also move to the neighborhood.

“BUILD THE STADIUM COMPLEX,” headlines the five posters, which say, “We must act fast! This mega complex will be suitable for (football, basketball and hockey stick emojis) and T Swift concerts. The streets of Del Ray will become sanctuary for riotous celebrations of multiple championships. We must not lose out to suburban Maryland!! Let’s make our suburb great again!”