Virginia
Virginia's multibillion-dollar plan to lure the Wizards and Capitals away from DC clears first hurdle in legislature
Legislation underpinning a plan to relocate the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals across the Potomac River to northern Virginia easily cleared an early hurdle in the state legislature Friday.
Lawmakers on the Virginia House Appropriations Committee voted 17-3 to advance the measure, a top priority of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, to the floor of the House of Delegates. Though the bill passed overwhelmingly, several senior Democratic legislators took care to say that their support for the measure at this point was in the interest of keeping negotiations over the deal going.
“This process is going to take the rest of our session at a minimum to enact or not enact this legislation,” Democratic Del. Mark Sickles of Fairfax County, who supported the bill, said before the committee vote.
The legislation could result in a legacy-defining project for Youngkin, a former college basketball player. Virginia is the nation’s most populous state without a major pro-sports franchise, something government officials of both parties over the course of decades have sought to change.
Youngkin and entrepreneur Ted Leonsis, an ultrawealthy former AOL executive and the CEO of the teams’ parent company, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, announced in December that they had reached an understanding on a deal to relocate the Capitals and Wizards.
The plan calls for the creation of a $2 billion development in the Potomac Yard section of Alexandria that would include an arena, practice facility and corporate headquarters for Monumental, plus a separate performing arts venue, all just miles from Capital One Arena, where the teams currently play in Washington.
Monumental and the city of Alexandria would put in upfront money under the terms of the deal, but about $1.5 billion would be financed through bonds issued by a governmental entity this year’s legislation would create.
The bonds would be repaid through a mix of revenues from the project, including a ticket tax, parking fees, concession taxes, income taxes levied on athletes performing at the arena, and naming rights from the district, among other sources. Proponents say those sources will more than cover the debt. But about a third of the financing would be backed by the “moral obligation” of the city and state governments, meaning taxpayers could be on the hook if the project revenues don’t come through as expected.
Critics of the project, including some who spoke against the bill Friday, asked why any tax subsidy was appropriate.
“This is a bad deal for every taxpayer in Virginia. We are saddling our children and grandchildren with 40 years of debt payments to help a billionaire get wealthier and wealthier,” said Andrew Macdonald, a former Alexandria city council member and an organizer of the Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard, which held a rally on Capitol Square a day earlier.
The committee advanced a substitute version of the legislation that was initially introduced by Democratic Del. Luke Torian. It included a newly added provision that would require legislators to sign off on the deal again next year in order for the legislation to go into effect, something critics of the project cheered.
Monica Dixon, president of external affairs and chief administrative officer for Monumental, said the company was “very pleased” with Friday’s developments.
“We’ll take a look at it, but don’t expect we’ll have any major concerns,” Dixon said of the revised bill, which is likely to see further revisions as it goes through the legislative process.
Democratic legislative leaders, who control the General Assembly, have generally signaled openness or even optimism about the passage of the arena legislation this year. But they have stopped short of a full-throated endorsement of the project, both citing concerns still to be worked out and making clear the proposal is a bargaining chip in broader discussions about their own priorities.
Sen. L. Louise Lucas, who chairs the Senate finance committee, has said she wants consideration of increased public school funding, toll relief for her Hampton Roads region and legalized recreational cannabis sales in conjunction with the arena deal.
A Senate committee had at one point been expected to take up that chamber’s version of the bill on Thursday. But the hearing was delayed, and by Friday afternoon it was unclear when the bill might be heard ahead of Tuesday’s “crossover” deadline by which non-budget bills need to clear their chamber of origin.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, the sponsor of that chamber’s bill, said in a text message that his caucus is still working to reach consensus about changes to the legislation as introduced.
Many critics of the project have focused on the transportation impacts in an already congested part of Virginia.
The state released a transportation plan last week to address Alexandria residents’ concerns about traffic. Officials say they will commit $200 million to transportation improvements in the corridor, which is already seeing expanded use with a new Amazon headquarters and a new Virginia Tech campus under construction.
The plan seeks to have half of arena patrons arrive by transit, bike or walking and relies heavily on a newly built, $370 million Potomac Yard Metro station. But plan data shows that the station, as currently configured, would be overwhelmed at peak hours on game nights with “extreme crowding” lasting for 60 to 90 minutes.
The plan estimates that improvements to the station and increased service could reduce crowding to 30 to 45 minutes.
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Barakat reported from Falls Church, Virginia.
The Virginia Cavaliers clinched yet another conference win last night, this time against California. Overall, this has been a remarkable season for the Cavaliers thus far, with few hiccups along the way. Their latest victory came with a stunning 84-60 finish, but as the story goes, there are still areas that need attention. With that, let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of last night’s meeting.
The Good
The Cavaliers are undoubtedly more consistent on offense — they’ve encountered quite a few challenges defensively. However, last night appeared to be a bit of a turning point, said cautiously. The Golden Bears’ efforts with the ball were met with great resistance from UVA. Malik Thomas, in particular, has made strides on both sides of the ball, but his defensive improvements have been noteworthy. As head coach Ryan Odom stated during his postgame press conference:
“… I thought our guys did a nice job. The discipline was there for the majority of the night. They did get us on occasion, not on occasion, probably too many times at the end of drives with shot fakes, but for the most part, in that first 10 minutes of the second half, we were able to stop them in and around the rim and stay down. And they were kind of left with some really hard shots there, which allowed us to get out in transition. I thought our press was pretty good. Even though we didn’t get a lot of turnovers or anything like that, I thought our press, you know, was effective.”
The Bad
Although Virginia wrapped up the matchup with a 24-point lead, there were moments throughout the night in which leads were swapped between programs in the first quarter. Once the second half rolled around, the Golden Bears were unable to catch up. However, the brief moments that they did control the scoreboard could have cost UVA the game, and ultimately, another loss in the ACC.
“I’m not worried about the margin,” said Odom. “It’s more about how we’re playing. And I thought our guys played well tonight, you know, defensively, we’re trying to make strides. We’re trying to get better. The guys are focused on that. Offensively, we can’t lose that, you know, ability to really share the ball and put pressure on our opponents. And I think we’re improving.”
The Ugly
Much of the back-and-forth lead during the first quarter was due to Cal’s pressure. Their defense stayed on top of UVA, which ruffled some of the Cavaliers’ feathers on the court, forcing some turnovers along the way.
Odom described this situation by stating, “Cal was really bothering us with their defense, their aggressiveness, and stepping out and pick and roll, even though we didn’t have a ton of turnovers in that first half. We had five. There were still some bobbled balls. The ball was loose and a little bit too loose for us. And their pressure had a lot to do with that. The end of the half was really important for us, the execution on defense and offense to give us a little bit of a cushion there going into halftime.”
Virginia certainly encountered some difficulty last night, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t successfully navigate. Now, the Cavaliers are gearing up for their upcoming matchup against Stanford on Jan. 10 at John Paul Jones Arena. Will UVA capitalize on its opportunity to extend its ACC record to 3-1?
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Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie lifted Stanford over Virginia Tech with a game-winning, step-back 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to give the Cardinal a 69-68 win at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Jan. 7.
Okorie sized up his defender, Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas of Greece, before getting into his sweet spot and rising up.
Okorie scored 31 points, going 11-for-18 from the floor with four 3-pointers, including the go-ahead bucket. His four made from long-distance tied a collegiate career-high. He added six assists and had only one turnover.
Virginia Tech led 31-24 at the end of the first half. However, Stanford came out of the second half and switched gears. The Hokies were outscored in the second half 45-37.
Virginia Tech was led by Avdalas with 21 points. Hokies sophomore guard Ben Hammond scored 14 points off the bench.
Chisom Okpara had an off night for Stanford, scoring just four points on 1-of-11 shooting, but still the Cardinal would get some help in the scoring department from Donavin Young and Oskar Giltay, who chipped in with 11 and eight points, respectively.
Stanford continues its road trip with a visit to No. 23 Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 10. Virginia Tech has a home game Saturday against California.
Stanford vs. Virginia Tech: Ebuka Okorie hits game-winning shot
Hopwood & LaRue Catering and Events at the University of Lynchburg has been named a “2026 Top Wedding Vendor” by Virginia Living magazine.
Hopwood & LaRue was listed among Central Virginia vendors in the following categories: Catering, Venue-Event Space, and Venue-Gardens & Estates. For earning a top spot, vendors are listed in the digital “2026 Top Wedding Vendors” guide and receive a virtual badge to share on their website.
According to Virginia Living, the annual list spotlights “vendors who help make Virginia weddings truly unforgettable — from florists and photographers to venues, planners, and more. … This exclusive online list is a companion to ‘Weddings 2026,’ featured in our February issue, one of the year’s most anticipated editorial sections.”
Through Hopwood & LaRue Catering and Events couples can plan weddings at University-owned facilities, including Snidow Chapel and Claytor Nature Center’s Cloverlea Farmhouse.
The company also offers event planning and a full range of beverage and catering services, including vegan, vegetarian, and ethnic options, along with “special curated menus” designed to help clients “develop their ideal cocktail hour and reception dinner experience for themselves and their guests.”
Referring to the 491-acre Claytor Nature Center specifically, Marsh described a typical event: “On their special day, the wedding ceremony typically takes place at the reflection pond, which holds a magical view of Sharp Top and Flat Top mountains,” she said.
“Cocktail hour is then enjoyed [on] the ash lawn, and the reception dinner is later paired with desserts, drinks, and dancing under our extra-large, tented reception area. And the sunset views are just as exceptional as the dining experience.”
According to Marsh, Hopwood & LaRue’s wedding sales have “increased significantly in the past year, and our Cloverlea wedding bookings have quadrupled since 2025. We now have over a dozen weddings and events lined up at Cloverlea for 2026 and are excited to book more and also look ahead into 2027.”
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