WASHINGTON – D.C. United’s long-running quest to find a home in the District of Columbia took another step forward on Monday afternoon when D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the team had reached what she called a "final agreement,” clearing the way for the development of a soccer stadium in the nation’s capital.
The signed agreement builds on a pact passed by the city council last December which laid out the original framework for construction of a soccer-specific stadium at Buzzard Point in southwest D.C. The new agreement clarifies the size and timeline of the stadium and adjusts the team and city’s levels of responsibility in the case of any cost overruns, affording the city “increased financial protections.”
The agreement follows a report last week by the Washington Post’s Jonathan O’Connell that revealed the club had entertained an offer from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, who had suggested the club examine the possibility of leaving the District in favor of exurban Loudoun County, about 40 miles from the club’s current home at RFK Stadium.
It would’ve been a long drive for District-based fans of the Black-and-Red, and just as long for United’s head coach Ben Olsen, who’s called D.C. home for over a decade. On Tuesday, Olsen took a moment after a lively United training session to comment on the latest stadium-related news.
"To me, it’s just another step forward to this reality that we’re all hoping will come sooner than later,” said Olsen. "We’re all getting a little impatient – I want to see this thing! It’s good news. Again: another step forward towards what will be, as I’ve continued to say, one of the best venues in American soccer.”
Though Olsen has certainly followed United’s stadium-related developments closely, more pressing issues occupy his thoughts at present. D.C. remain atop MLS’s Eastern Conference but are coming off a tough 2-1 home loss at the hands of Toronto FC on Saturday, a defeat that snapped the club's 20-game home unbeaten streak. Asked for his take on what a potential move to Loudoun County would’ve meant, Olsen emphasized as much.
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"I’m pretty focused [on other stuff],” Olsen told MLSsoccer.com. “It’s been pretty busy lately here trying to get results. I stay out of that stuff. My focus continues to be to try and get this team some results in a busy schedule. We can exhale now, but starting this weekend, it starts to come fast and furious again for another few weeks, so we've got to patch this group up -- we’re a little banged up.
"I think maybe a few years ago, I was maybe more concerned with [stadium-related news.] Now, I’m swimming as is. I got three kids and a soccer team to deal with. I’d just screw up all the negotiations anyways."
