Another Alexandria arena project bill dead, negotiations will move to budget bill – WTOP News

Another bill that would create a sports arena in Alexandria, Virginia, for the Wizards and Capitals is dead, according to the Prince William County delegate who sponsored it.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke Torian, a Democrat, said his stand-alone bill, that would establish a sports and entertainment authority that could fund the project by issuing bonds will not be taken up by the Senate.

Torian was informed by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman L. Louise Lucas (D) that Torian’s bill, HB1514, would not be docketed, so would not be heard and would die, according to an aide for Torian.

Torian was told his bill would not be heard since Lucas had also declined to docket Sen. Scott Surovell’s Fairfax County casino bill, which died last week without a hearing.

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However, Torian remains optimistic that the arena plan will be kept alive during discussion of a House budget bill, HB29, which includes setting up a state sports and entertainment authority.

Monumental Opportunity, an entity created by Ted Leonsis’s Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Capitals and Wizards, said it was not surprised that Torian’s bill will die.

The group said it’s been encouraged to see support for the budget language, as well as Torian and Surovell’s stand-alone bills, but has always known the budget conference committee would have the final say.

Torian’s comments about his discussions with Lucas were first reported by the Washington Post.

WTOP is seeking comment from the office of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who participated in the announcement of the sports and entertainment district project.

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