Two bills in the Maryland General Assembly would spend millions to refurbish both Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and improve existing sports entertainment facilities, including minor league baseball parks, and establish new ones.
On Tuesday, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks testified to the House Appropriations Committee to remember Landover, home to FedEx Field.
“I’m not asking you to forget about investments in Baltimore City or any other jurisdiction; I’m asking you to remember Prince George’s County and our residents because Prince Georgians are Marylanders too,” Alsobrooks said.
It’s unclear whether the Washington Commanders will stay in Landover or move to Virginia or D.C., but either way, Alsobrooks told the panel that the Landover-Largo area remains choice territory for a world-class sports entertainment destination.
Also on Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan said Maryland will not engage “in a bidding war” with other jurisdictions to build the Commanders a new stadium.
Besides the bill to refurbish Oriole Park and M&T Bank Stadium, the general assembly is considering another bill that would allow the issuing of up to $200 million in bonds to renovate, acquire and construct “sports entertainment facilities.”
The bill said sports entertainment facilities are structures for minor league sporting events or other non-major league sporting events. It does not include high school, college or recreational venues.
“With or without the Commanders, the county’s vision for a dense, walkable, bikeable amenity-rich sports entertainment destination along the (Metro) Blue line corridor stands, and it can be realized with your assistance,” Alsobrooks said.
Alsobrooks told the panel that FedEx Field opened in 1997, “with no infrastructure to sustain it and no infrastructure to benefit the surrounding community.”
“I’m asking you to think about what was done 25 years ago with our current stadium and ensure that we don’t do it again,” Alsobrooks said.
