The Washington Commanders have reportedly acquired a purchase option to buy $100 million worth of land in Woodbridge, Virginia for a potential new stadium. However, it appears that was not the team’s first choice in Northern Virginia.
According to the Washington Business Journal, the Commanders tried to purchase land in Loudoun County, Virginia. The site is near the planned Innovation Center Metro station on the Silver Line.
Meanwhile, two sources directly familiar with the stadium search tell the Washington Business Journal that the Ashburn-headquartered Commanders previously made an offer to acquire Waterside, the rebranded vision for what is now the Loudoun Quarries near the Innovation Center Metro station on the Silver Line. That offer, however, was not accepted by the quarry’s owner, Chantilly Crushed Stone, an affiliate of the Gudelsky Group, sources say. One source said the offer was for double what the team paid in Woodbridge.
The reporting makes sense, considering the Commanders acquired a purchase option in Woodbridge. According to ESPN’s John Keim, the Commanders still are trying to buy land in Loudoun County. Possibly the team is using Woodbridge as a fall back if negotiations at the Loundon Quarries don’t pan out.
The Commanders headquarters are currently located in Loudoun County, the wealthiest county in America. Maryland and Washington, D.C. remain as options for a Commanders new stadium. Loudoun County has been the odds-on favorite jurisdiction to get the new stadium.
But, not if the team cannot secure land for the site. The Loudoun Quarries location would be further out than the Woodbridge site, the Commanders have the option to purchase. However, having the stadium near a public transportation station would alleviate car traffic. More importantly it’ll make it easier for fans from Maryland and D.C. to get to the games.
There is no Metro station currently or planned within 10 miles of Woodbridge.
Virginia, Maryland and the nation’s capital are all vying to get the Commanders’ home stadium. But there could be reluctance to how much public money each jurisdiction is willing to commit to a new stadium.
Regardless where the stadium ends up, the growing consensus is the new Commanders home should be easily accessible for all fans in the surrounding area.
