RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – A plan to move the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards to Northern Virginia was approved by a group of state lawmakers, multiple sources briefed on the decision told 8News.
The vote on the plans, first reported by The Washington Post, came Monday during a closed meeting of the state’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission.
Several steps would need to be taken on the local and state level, including the approval of a stadium authority by the Virginia General Assembly, before any potential deal could be finalized.
One source told 8News on Tuesday that Monumental Sports & Entertainment — the company that owns both teams — Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office, officials from the city of Alexandria and other stakeholders plan on making an announcement on the proposed deal on Wednesday morning.
The plan to bring the teams to Virginia calls for a $2 billion investment for a mixed-used development in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood with a sports arena with 20,000 seats and a nearby concert venue with a plaza for visitors in between, sources said.
A spokesperson for Gov. Youngkin did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment, but his office said in a release that the governor “will announce a remarkable economic development project” for Virginia in Alexandria at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Liz Bolton, the vice president of strategic communications for the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, and a spokesperson for Monumental Sports declined to comment.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.