Commanders buy land, make plans for $ 3 billion mini-city stadium complex in Woodbridge | National sport

Washington commanders have purchased 200 acres of land in Woodbridge that could be home to their new stadium project, a “mini-city” that will contain a range of entertainment, living and working spaces.

Images obtained by The Richmond Times-Dispatch show a futuristic color-changing stadium, a translucent roof that provides natural light under climate control, and a new team headquarters.

Land near Potomac Mills near I-95 was purchased for $ 100 million, but sources aware of the team’s plans quickly said Monday that the site has not yet been selected and other potential sites remain in play – in Virginia, Maryland and the county. Colombia

It is expected that in the coming weeks, along with the state budget will be passed a bill that provides state support for a potential stadium, which forms Virginia’s contribution to the project of about $ 350 million.

The project is partly modeled on The Battery in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Braves. It’s fixed by the team, but it also has a number of other components to attract year-round traffic.

Like The Battery, Washington’s proposed site in Woodbridge is far from downtown, but other major Commanders options, in Laudan County or the current FedEx Field location, are also in the offing.

Here are some highlights of the visualization that were made for lawmakers and other planners obtained by The Times-Dispatch:

New team headquarters:

The commanders plan to move their team’s headquarters from the current Ludown County site to where the new stadium ends.

This means that training camps, off-season practices and celebrations, such as recruits ’night parties, will be focused on the new location.

The headquarters building will be built on environmentally friendly construction of “heavy wood”.

Amphitheater:

The facility will include an amphitheater that can accommodate 15,000 to 20,000 guests, which is enough to hold major concerts.

Virginia Sen. Scott Surowell, who oversees the area where the project is located, said Monday that Prince William County residents are lagging behind other subway areas, the District of Columbia in entertainment options, and this will provide more opportunities in the area.

Hopefully also hopes to make the team and its programs more accessible to fans across Virginia, including Fredericksburg and the Richmond area.

Retail:

The nearly mile-long walkway would be the center of a game day and year-round experience, with bars and restaurants where fans could eat and drink.

The large yard near the stadium will consist of artificial grass that can be transformed from a public space during the week into a parking lot on game days.

Office:

It is expected that office space will be a key part of the project. The team plans to create a resort-style conference center, which would be the first of its kind in the area.

Tail and movement:

One of the main issues on the project in Prince William County will be traffic, given that the I-95 section that runs through the Okakuan is usually one of the busiest sections of the road on the East Coast.

Surovel noted that there has long been an interest in expanding subway services at Potomac Mills, but so far the regional authorities, at best, have treated the idea very warmly.

Sources familiar with the construction of the stadium said that the project Commanders will be built a large parking lot with additional lanes of entry and exit to I-95 and I-95 Express Lanes. It is considered very unlikely that the metro expansion will take place before the opening date of the stadium.

Officials of the commanders continue to insist on the potential opening of the stadium in 2027. The Buffalo Bills recently reached an agreement on a new stadium project that is expected to open in 2026, leaving open the possibility that Washington could achieve its goal if funding and logistics are worked out next year.

The $ 100 million purchase of land is a statement of support for the Woodbridge site, but the team also considered a plot in Laudan County, on the new Silver Line subway extension.

A third potential site, in Dumfries, is still under consideration, but has a number of logistical hurdles.

The team could also remain at its current location in Landau, Maryland, where the government has pledged $ 400 million to support the remodeled stadium and business district.

The site, long considered a favorite of the RFK Stadium in downtown Columbia, remains unlikely given the federal government’s land control.

If the project lands in Woodbridge, it will immediately become one of the largest development projects in the state’s history.

With $ 3 billion, the entire 200-acre complex, including entertainment and residential components, would be one of the most expensive in American sports, albeit far from the record $ 5 billion spent at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

It is the roof and appearance that will be a central design element, visible from I-95 and capable of changing with time and event.

The team’s drawings provide a stadium with about 60,000 seats, designed to provide a better experience for fewer fans, instead of serving a larger number, as was FedEx Field’s original vision.

PHOTOS: Images of the proposed new stadium for Washington Commanders

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