WASHINGTON – The Council of the District of Columbia approved the District of Columbia Soccer Stadium Act of 2014 in its second and final vote on Wednesday, approving the development of a new, 20,000-25,000-seat stadium for D.C. United in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of Southwest Washington.
The legislation’s passage targets the opening of the stadium in 2017 and ensures that D.C. United will make the District of Columbia their home for generations to come.
“We are grateful that D.C. United’s future in our nation’s capital is secure,” D.C. United Managing General Partner Jason Levien said in a club statement. “This is a historic victory for the team and its fans, the city, the region and the sport of soccer in this country. I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of many city leaders, including Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Mayor-Elect Muriel Bowser, City Administrator Allen Y. Lew and the D.C. Council.”
“We congratulate D.C. United ownership, Erick Thohir, Jason Levien and Will Chang, and the District government for creating an innovative partnership to bring a world-class soccer stadium to Washington, D.C.,” Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said. “This is a historic moment for Major League Soccer, as D.C. United, one of our charter clubs, will soon have a terrific venue to celebrate the beautiful game in one of America's most passionate soccer markets."
The approval of the new stadium bill is the culmination of more than a decade of efforts, including, most recently, two-and-a-half years of work by D.C. United and District of Columbia leadership.
Shortly after announcing its investment in the team in July 2012, the team’s ownership first met with the Mayor about securing a new stadium. In July 2013, they announced a signed term sheet, and an agreement was transmitted to the D.C. Council in May 2014. The stadium bill received unanimous approval by four D.C. Council committees and in its first reading by the full Council on Dec. 2.
The Buzzard Point stadium will provide a major boost for economic development in the District. D.C. United also will soon announce the completion of a Community Benefits Agreement that will serve as the foundation for a lasting relationship between the team and the immediate community in which the stadium will be built.
