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The Maryland Senate gave tentative approval late Friday to two measures that top officials in Baltimore and Prince George鈥檚 County have been pursuing since the start of this year鈥檚 legislative session.
One of the bills 鈥斅犅犫�� would authorize the Maryland Stadium Authority to perform $1.2 billion in upgrades to the city鈥檚 professional sports stadiums. The funding would be evenly divided between Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL鈥檚 Baltimore Ravens.
How the funding would be used聽, though most stadium retrofits in the modern era have involved luxury boxes, premium seating, social gathering areas and sports betting venues.
The other measure approved on Friday 鈥斅犅犫�� would allow the stadium authority to spend $400 million on an array of recreational and entertainment venues in Central Prince George鈥檚 County.
The proposed facilities include:
- Magnet Charter School
- Central Library
- Cultural Center
- Basketball/Volleyball Fieldhouse
- Central Avenue
- Market Hall
- Wayne K. Curry Civic Plaza
The facilities would be constructed near FedEx Field, home of the Washington Commanders, as part of a 鈥渟tadium district.鈥� Commanders owner Daniel Snyder wants a new stadium and he is said to be eyeing locations in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) hosted a meeting with Commanders President Jason Wright at the governor鈥檚 mansion on March 31.
Unlike FedEx Field, which sits isolated, across from a defunct shopping mall, Snyder wants his new stadium to be part of a 鈥渕ini city鈥� that includes a high-end hotel, a sports betting venue and upscale mixed-use development.
Prince George鈥檚 leaders stress that they intend to pursue their vision for 鈥淒owntown Largo鈥� whether or not the Commanders build a new stadium next to FedEx Field.
On Thursday, Hogan and Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) broke ground on a cancer research and treatment center at the new Capital Regional Medical Center, part of the University of Maryland Medical System. He called the cancer center 鈥渏ust one part of our bold plan for the future of Prince George鈥檚 County.鈥�
鈥淭hanks to County Executive Alsobrooks鈥� vision, we are partnering with her on a shared commitment to move forward with a $400 million dollar investment in the Blue Line Corridor project, to bring more jobs and economic development to this area,鈥� he said.
(On Tuesday, gubernatorial hopeful Rushern Baker (D), Alsobrooks鈥檚 predecessor, laid claim to the 鈥淒owntown Prince George鈥檚 Entertainment District鈥� in聽, and he applauded the General Assembly for supporting 鈥渕y proposal.鈥�)
On Tuesday, the stadium authority鈥檚 board voted to begin work on a memorandum of understanding with Prince George鈥檚 county government that would allow the authority to oversee construction of the new venues.
Sen. Melony Griffith (D-Prince George鈥檚) noted on Friday that the stadium authority has built projects all over the state during its 35-year history, but never in Prince George鈥檚.
鈥淭his is a huge opportunity for us,鈥� said Angie Rodgers, the county鈥檚 top economic development official.
The stadium authority has 鈥渢he Good Housekeeping seal of approval for these kinds of facilities,鈥� she added.
Rodgers said the goal is to have an area that draws visitors year-round, nut just on football game days.
House Bill 896 does not include any money to construct a new Commanders stadium, but the county鈥檚 MOU would likely allow the authority to demolish FedEx Field. Snyder owns the stadium and the land it sits on, and demolition would only occur as part of an agreement, multiple officials said.
In addition to the funding for the Prince George鈥檚 venues, House Bill 897 would also allow up to $200 million to upgrade minor league baseball stadiums in Maryland and $27 million per year to fund bus rapid transit service in Montgomery County.
