Redskins’ Virginia Stadium May be Near, But Not in, Reston

If the Washington Redskins relocate to Virginia, they will most likely play near, but not in, Reston.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in early August that the commonwealth was in “very serious” negotiations to build a new NFL stadium somewhere along the Silver Line. He mentioned Tysons, Reston and points west in Loudoun.

But with no suitable space for that size project in Reston, McAuliffe was likely generalizing. A Washington Post report last week said the most likely spot for the new stadium would be in Loudoun County close to Dulles International Airport.

“If Virginia beats out the District and Maryland to get the new stadium, Loudoun appears to be the only county that has enough undeveloped space near a Metro station to accommodate it,” the Post story said.

Fairfax County apparently does not want the project, anyway. At a summit of Northern Virginia leaders last week, representatives from Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties and the city of Alexandria were unanimous in saying that they wouldn’t want the team in their own jurisdictions.

Said the Post:

Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D) was the only one who left open the prospect of hosting a stadium — while cautioning that the discussion was “a little premature.”

Later in the week, other Loudoun officials expressed enthusiasm about the idea and discussed possible sites near future Metro stations along the Silver Line.

“Any discussion about growth for the Redskins is a discussion that we want to be part of,” Buddy Rizer, executive director of the county’s Department of Economic Development, said Friday.

No negotiations were underway, he said, but the county could be interested in building a stadium as part of a bigger development including an amphitheater, convention center and hotels.

“We would be looking for an opportunity to jump-start a development that would include not only a stadium,” Rizer said. “We are still in the discovery stages. We don’t know if it’s a good deal or not a good deal.”

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, said at the summit that Virginia has options outside Loudoun for a stadium location. However, Loudoun makes sense because the team already practices in Ashburn.