The contest between Virginia and Washington over two professional sports franchises — the Wizards in basketball and Capitals in hockey — is not quite over, but Virginia is well ahead in the fourth quarter. The commonwealth’s General Assembly and Alexandria’s city council still have to sign off on a new arena in Potomac Yard, but if they do, and if other present trends continue, the city will soon lose NBA and NHL franchises that began playing downtown 27 years ago.
Washington, D.C
Opinion | D.C. shouldn’t give up its arena fight — but must prepare for a post-Wiz world
We wish the teams would stay. The current location is in the heart of the region just a few blocks from the White House. The arena anchors a downtown neighborhood of residents, offices, bars and restaurants hugging Seventh Street NW, and it sits on top of a Metro hub that’s easily accessible to residents from all corners of the region. Losing these teams will be a blow to an increasingly hollowed-out downtown Washington. Ideally, the teams’ owner, Ted Leonsis, would reconsider the city’s generous final offer to stay in a downtown he helped to succeed for many years.
But Mr. Leonsis and his company, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, appear ready to leave. Unlike the space in Potomac Yard, the teams’ current arena has little room to expand. D.C. is struggling to combat a violent crime surge, and the city did too little to address years of complaints about nuisances and declining safety in the arena’s neighborhood. More importantly, the city failed to get its best offer to Mr. Leonsis in time once he indicated he was serious about moving. If Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) had submitted her final proposal — an $800 million arena renovation, with $500 million paid for by the city — months ago, Mr. Leonsis might have accepted it. In the meantime, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) offered Mr. Leonsis a $2 billion development with a massive new arena surrounded by the sorts of things that are harder to build in downtown Washington: team practice facilities, offices for Mr. Leonsis’s company, a hotel, an additional concert venue, a Virginia Tech campus, housing, shops and restaurants.
The two proposals side by side
$2 billion (plus $200 million for transportation upgrades)
What
Monumental
Sports pays
$400 million upfront plus $400 million in lease payments over time
$400 million plus ongoing lease payments
How the
rest of the
project is
financed
Initial offer: About $200 million. Final offer: $500 million bond paid back by D.C. taxpayers.
$1.1 billion in bonds paid back by tax revenue generated in new arena area. Plus $100 million from Alexandria
Suburban. Served by two Metro lines.
Urban. Served by all six Metro lines.
Development
around
the arena
Twelve-acre development with new practice facilities, hotel, a concert venue, retail, offices and residences. It will be art of a 70-acre plan for Potomac Yard.
The D.C. arena is 5 acres in the heart of the city near the White House, hotels and businesses. Practice facilities are elsewhere.
JBG Smith and a pension fund own the land
D.C. government owns land
The two proposals side by side
$2 billion (plus $200 million for transportation upgrades)
What
Monumental
Sports pays
$400 million upfront plus $400 million in lease payments over time
$400 million plus ongoing lease payments
How the rest
of the project
is financed
$1.1 billion in bonds paid back by tax revenue generated in new arena area. Plus $100 million from Alexandria
Initial offer: About $200 million. Final offer: $500 million bond paid back by D.C. taxpayers.
Urban. Served by all six Metro lines.
Suburban. Served by two Metro lines.
Development
around
the arena
Twelve-acre development with new practice facilities, hotel, a concert venue, retail, offices and residences. It will be art of a 70-acre plan for Potomac Yard.
The D.C. arena is 5 acres in the heart of the city near the White House, hotels and businesses. Practice facilities are elsewhere.
JBG Smith and a pension fund own the land
D.C. government owns land
The two proposals side by side
$2 billion (plus $200 million for transportation upgrades)
What Monumental
Sports pays
$400 million upfront plus $400 million in lease payments over time
$400 million plus ongoing lease payments
How the rest of the
project is financed
Initial offer: About $200 million. Final offer: $500 million bond paid back by D.C. taxpayers.
$1.1 billion in bonds paid back by tax revenue generated in new arena area. Plus $100 million from Alexandria
Suburban. Served by two Metro lines.
Urban. Served by all six Metro lines.
Development around
the arena
The D.C. arena is 5 acres in the heart of the city near the White House, hotels and businesses. Practice facilities are elsewhere.
Twelve-acre development with new practice facilities, hotel, a concert venue, retail, offices and residences. It will be art of a 70-acre plan for Potomac Yard.
JBG Smith and a pension fund own the land
D.C. government owns land
For Mr. Leonsis to consider staying, D.C. would likely have to show progress on combating crime and a vision for revitalizing the neighborhood. The iconic Gallery Place mall and office complex adjacent to the arena is hemorrhaging tenants and seeking a new owner. It’s worth Ms. Bowser making a final pitch for the teams. Washington needs them more than Virginia does, and city officials shouldn’t give up until the relocation deal is final. Even if they fail, committing to some of the things that would make D.C. a more attractive place for Mr. Leonsis would make it a better place for others to do business, too.
Nevertheless, Mr. Leonsis is probably going to move the teams. While Mr. Youngkin and other Virginia leaders would no doubt rejoice, there are risks on their side of the Potomac. The new arena project’s $2 billion price tag is hefty. Mr. Leonsis would pay $400 million up front and then another $400 million over time to rent the arena. The city of Alexandria would kick in about $100 million. The remainder — roughly $1.1 billion — would come from bonds that are repaid by taxes collected within the 12-acre site. That means all the sales taxes, parking revenue, income taxes, corporate taxes and a ticket tax would go to repay the bonds.
Mr. Youngkin says that no Virginia taxpayer money would fund the project. Even modest crowds would likely generate enough revenue to pay back the bonds. But if those crowds fail to materialize, Virginia taxpayers would be on the hook for up to $577 million, since the state is backstopping part of the loan. Alexandria residents would be responsible for another $577 million in the worst-case situation. Virginia lawmakers should ask about scenarios in which there is another pandemic and 220 events a year don’t happen. State leaders should also make ironclad Mr. Leonsis’s promise to keep the teams at the Potomac Yard site until 2064 or pay back the loan balances. Many cities — ask St. Louis and Oakland — have been stuck paying bills after sports teams left.
Washington sports
The Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals play at Capital One Arena in D.C.
Transportation is the Virginia site’s biggest drawback. The arena could hold 20,000 fans. But the current Potomac Yard Metro station is small. The highways around Potomac Yard are already jammed, and there’s no Amtrak or Virginia Railway Express stop there. Mr. Youngkin’s team says the state will invest $200 million to help, but they haven’t said where that money will come from. Mr. Youngkin has also yet to promise any more funding to help keep Metro going in 2025 or beyond. State lawmakers need to ensure shoring up Metro is part of any arena funding package. Also still unknown is who will pay for extra policing in the area, and how to ensure that a new Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority, which would oversee the new arena district, has to account for all the money and contracts it will handle. A lack of transparency with similar authorities in Chicago caused massive problems.
As Virginia sorts out these crucial details, D.C. needs to prepare for a post-Wizards world. Ms. Bowser has launched a task force to generate new ideas for the Gallery Place-Chinatown neighborhood. There’s early talk of a concert venue and a welcoming public space in the area. (Cleveland’s downtown Public Square is a good model, with a cafe, a splash pad for kids and green space for relaxing.) If the city doesn’t have to give Mr. Leonsis $500 million, it could use the money for other needs.
But no amount of money will make up for failing to get the basics right: ensuring public safety and cultivating a business-friendly climate. D.C. can no longer assume that people and businesses want to locate in urban centers; the city and its leaders must compete for them. Even if it loses this round, Washington can rally for the next.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Grab the umbrella
- Big temperature ranges
- Thunder possible Thursday night
- Warmer days on the way
Heads up commuters! For Thursday morning, there will be some thick fog in spots with some rain possible, especially around the Mason-Dixon line. The fog should clear out by 10 a.m.
Throughout the day, some sunshine should develop with highs warming into the low 60s. Those in Northern Maryland could see some showers throughout the day but those near the D.C. area will stay relatively dry except for a stray shower or two.
Some rain and evening storms by 8 p.m. will impact the area Thursday night. Although it’s a bit unusual for this time of year, don’t be surprised if you hear thunder Thursday evening.
Warmer temperatures coming this weekend
These next few days will come with some major forecast challenges.
Much, much warmer air is just to our south and cold, high pressure is moving into New England. The front separating the 40s from the 70s will be laying right across our region for the next two to three days.
So keep in mind, when you’re looking at the forecast highs in the text below, that it will be warmest in Fredericksburg, VA and coolest in northern Maryland.
Friday’s weather will be similar as a front system remains just over the area, separating chilly air to the north and warmer air to the south. There might be a stray shower or two, too.
For the weekend, Saturday looks to be the warmer of the two days with highs in the low to mid 70s. Some rain overnight Saturday will lead to cooler temperatures on Sunday.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
QuickCast
THURSDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Stray Shower Possible
Big Temperature Range
Wind: Southeast 5 mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 62° to 72°
THURSDAY NIGHT:
Cloudy And Chilly
Rain Likely
Some Thunder Possible
Wind: Northeast 5 mph
Chance Of Rain: 70%
LOWS: 44° to 54°
FRIDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler For Most
Isolated Shower Or Two
Wind: East 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 52° to 68°
SATURDAY:
Partly Sunny
Breezy And Warmer
Isolated Shower
Wind: Southwest 10-20 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 66° to 78°
SUNDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler
Few Showers Possible
Wind: Northwest 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 64° to 72°
Sunrise: 6:35 Sunset: 6:05
Average High: 53° Average Low: 36°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
WASHINGTON (7News) — D.C. taxpayers may be confused by back-and-forth between the D.C. City Council and Congress over taxprovision. The city’s financial officer sent a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, that said the District’s tax laws will not change, despite recent actions by Congress.
7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy.
“The short answer is, nothing changes. Filing Season can continue as it has been, continue as planned, and according to the laws as we understood them in January,” said Husak.
“If you’ve already filed your taxes, you don’t have to change anything. And if you want to file your taxes, the rules are still the same as they were on the books before,” said Husak.
RELATED | DC Council Chairman talks taxes, budget, bodycams, federal surge
Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee’s revenue estimate issued Friday does not include an estimated $180 million expected this fiscal year from the city’s decoupling law, “due to the uncertainty of the associated revenue as a result of Joint Resolution 142,” according to a released letter.
“The CFO was in a tough spot here. If he agreed with Congress, then businesses and overtime workers will get bigger refunds. But if he agreed with the Mayor and the Attorney General, then families with children and lower income workers would get bigger tax cuts,” said Husak.
SEE MORE | Development of new Commanders stadium scrutinized at DC oversight hearing
“We as District residents can’t control, you know what happens in the courts, what happens in, you know, what Congress does in the future,” said Husak. “But for now, the CFO has said, you know this is, this is a law as it stands, and the law that I’m going to enforce so, you know, file your legally obligated taxes, and maybe in the future, there’ll be a surprise.”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW
7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy (7News).{ }
WASHINGTON (7News) — The nation’s capital is just about ready to be transformed into a breathtaking pastel landscape of cherry trees in bloom. The famed blossoms around the Tidal Basin are not only a symbol of spring’s arrival, but also of a long-standing friendship — a gift of more than 3,000 trees from Tokyo, Japan, to the United States in 1912.
So what is considered “Peak Bloom”?
The National Park Service (NPS) defines peak bloom as the time when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin have opened their blossoms. This is the period when the blossoms appear most full and spectacular and most ideal for photos, and soaking up spring’s beauty here in DC.
Because cherry trees respond to the cumulative effects of winter and spring weather, especially daily temperatures, it’s very difficult to predict peak bloom more than about 10 days in advance. Warm spells accelerate blooming; cold snaps slow it down.
Average Timing — What History Shows
Since 1921 overall, national data indicate peak bloom typically fell around early April (April 4), based on historical averages.
Average date peak bloom – cherry blossom trees Washington DC Tidal Basin
Since 1990, the average has kept shifting earlier and earlier. In fact, the last 6 years our peak has occurred in late March.
These shifts reflect how warmer springs have nudged peak bloom earlier over the decades.
Earliest & Latest Blooms on Record
Earliest peak bloom: March 15 — recorded in 1990.
Latest peak bloom: April 18 — recorded in 1958.
Of course, most years fall between those dates, with the last week of March to the first week of April historically being the most consistent window for peak bloom.
Earliest Peak Bloom Washington DC
Recent peak blooms show how variable and climate-dependent the timing can be:
2025: The National Park Service predicted peak bloom between March 28–31 (and confirmed the official peak around March 28).
2024: Peak bloom arrived very early, on March 17, several days ahead of NPS projections — tied for one of the earliest peaks in decades.
These examples demonstrate not only how much each season can differ, but also a trend toward earlier spring blossoms in recent years.
What to Expect for Spring 2026
As of early March 2026, the cherry trees are still dormant. The buds haven’t begun significant growth yet. The weather will become more critical in the weeks leading up to the bloom will be the biggest factor in determining when peak bloom happens in 2026.
Heavy winter cold, as experienced this year, tends to delay bloom compared with recent early springs. In contrast, an early warm stretch could push peak bloom earlier — as long as it doesn’t come with subsequent frost.
Look for the green bud stage first. This is when the buds are small, tight, and green, with no sign of petals yet. Trees are still several weeks from blooming.
Tips for Cherry Blossom Visitors
Plan in the “sweet spot” — peak bloom often lasts a few days to about a week, but weather (rain, wind, heat) can shorten that window.
Visit slightly before or after the predicted peak dates for smaller crowds and extended color. Blossoms can be gorgeous even before 70% bloom or as petals begin falling.
Check NPS updates and First Alert Weather forecasts in late March for tweaked peak bloom dates.
The cherry blossoms of Washington, D.C. remain one of the most iconic harbingers of spring in the U.S., and while exact bloom dates vary year-to-year, history and natural patterns point to late March through early April as your best bet for seeing the Tidal Basin in full floral glory.
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