Monumental Sports and Entertainment are deliberating a move that would send the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to Arlington, per a recent Washington Post report.
The move would potentially take the Capitals to Crystal City, home of Amazon’s new HQ2 campus. Friday’s news comes amidst talks between MSE and the city of DC about future renovations to Capital One Arena, which MSE wants the city to help fund.
The Capitals have played in Capital One Arena since 1997, when they left Capital Centre in Landover, MD. The arena has undergone over $70 million of privately-funded renovations since 2018, including the installation of a new jumbotron.
A threat of relocation could be a tactic to improve MSE’s negotiating position with DC. The Post reports that MSE representatives recently met with DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson to discuss the arena. Constructed 26 years ago, Capital One Arena is relatively old for an NHL barn, with MSE angling for structural upgrades to the building. Rather than funding improvements themselves, MSE hopes to fund the project at least partially with public money. Owner Ted Leonsis previously implied a willingness to leave Cap One back in 2016 but quickly walked back his comments.
The potential new site for a Capitals arena would solidify the team’s presence in Arlington, which already houses MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Amazon’s HQ2 sits in Crystal City near Reagan National Airport. Dubbed “National Landing” by Amazon, the area has seen quick growth since the HQ2 announcement, though plans for the second phase of the campus have been put on hold.
Across the Potomac, HQ2 is 4.0 miles from Capital One Arena and 4.5 miles away from MedStar Capitals IcePlex. For comparison, MedStar is just under five miles away from Capital One.
Even if potential relocation isn’t just a negotiation tactic, it’s unlikely that a move would come soon. Should MSE decide to relocate, they would need to pay off the $35 million bond on their ground lease. Per the Post, the lease currently runs until 2047, but would revert to a 2027 end date if the bond is paid off. MSE would also need to construct an arena, with no suitable facility currently in place in Crystal City.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
