Another sports stadium in the District could receive a nine-figure facelift. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson proposed legislation this week that would direct $300 million in public funds to build a roof on Audi Field, home of the MLS franchise D.C. United and the NWSL’s Washington Spirit.
The project would feature an estimated total cost of $620 million, with the remaining funds coming from private investment. Mr. Mendelson brought the bill to Monday’s council meeting and referred it to the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday.
The proposal would allow the mayor’s office to enter a public-private partnership with D.C. United, which owns the stadium, to help construct the roof as part of a large-scale renovation. The construction would turn the outdoor facility into a climate-controlled dome with capacity expanded from 20,000 to at least 28,000.
Mr. Mendelson’s proposal notes that construction would “enable year-round multi-purpose use of the soccer stadium.” His estimates claimed that the roof would allow for 100 more events at the site each year, bringing 1.25 million visitors to the facility at Buzzard Point, just southwest of the District’s Navy Yard. The added seats and expanded events would allow the city to triple its investment, according to projections highlighted in the bill.
In return for the District’s investment, the city would collect a 4.25% tax on ticket and merchandise sales at the stadium.
Concessions and parking fees would be exempt from the fee, which would only apply to “the performance of soccer games or soccer-related events and exhibitions at the soccer stadium.”
D.C. United would also be responsible for constructing 467 new residential units. At least 148 units would be reserved for affordable housing, with the majority set aside for “fully affordable senior housing units.”
Though D.C. United does not own the Washington Spirit; the club would be required to ensure that the majority of events hosted at the renovated site would be dedicated to women’s sports under the new legislation.
Audi Field, known to fans as “Rowdy Audi,” has already developed a reputation for a strong home-field advantage for the Spirit. The women’s club has sold out three of its first five home matches this season. Every weekend home game was a sell-out for last year’s NWSL finalists.
The NWSL announced last month that it would host its November championship game at Audi Field for the second time.
“Washington, D.C. has become one of the premier destinations for women’s soccer, with an incredibly engaged fan base, a vibrant soccer culture and a community that continues to champion the growth of our game,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement last month.
The venue also hosted this year’s United Bowl, the championship game for the UFL spring football league.
The Audi Field project would be the latest in a string of sports stadium construction in the District. The city has already provided $515 million for an ongoing renovation at Capital One Arena, home of the NHL’s Capitals and the NBA’s Wizards. That six-phase overhaul is expected to continue through 2028, with most work occurring during the teams’ summer breaks.
Preparations for a new NFL arena on the RFK Campus are also underway. Officials from the Commanders expect to break ground on the site later this year.
Local lawmakers agreed to provide approximately $1 billion for the $3.7 billion mixed-use development, which will be anchored by a glitzy dome for the local football team.
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