The Official Washington Wizards News & Notes Thread

[ISO]

It’s not good at all. That part of town benefited so much when the arena moved there and opened in 1997. At that particular point in time, it was a huge risk to open an arena in downtown DC, considering the reputation for crime in that city. In the last few years (especially after the pandemic), the area has regressed, and lots of businesses like restaurants, bars and stores have either closed for good or moved out of the area. Crime has also exploded all over the city, including Chinatown/Gallery Place where the arena is located.

Mayor Bowser has been AWFUL in trying to curb crime and lawlessness in the city. I can’t believe she’s still mayor to be honest with you. This city is sliding back to the 80s and 90s with all the carjackings, robberies and shootings going on, even in nicer areas of town. The Wizards and Capitals leaving is just an ugly reminder of how far the city has fallen in the last few years, and unfortunately I don’t see a way it gets better.

They simply can’t allow it.

 

[boskey]

I don’t know the DMV enough to speculate but what does this mean for the black community in D.C?

Leonsis has been anti black in general if you ask me. The way he neglected the Wizards for like 15 years and focused only on the Capitals was based on the demographics of the fan bases IMO. Wizards have white fans too but they are mostly young

 

[Rakpo98]

They simply can’t allow it.

There's nothing else for the city to do at this point. It looks like Leonsis is dead set on moving both teams to VA. According to news reports, DC only has 1-2 days at best to try to "wow" Leonsis with an offer to get him to change his mind and stay in DC. I don't think it's just about the arena to Leonsis, it's the area around the arena and the lack of activity in Chinatown/Gallery Place (along with the crime) that has Leonsis upset. The white people who used to jam that part of town before and after games are now leaving as soon as the games end. People don't want to hang around downtown or Chinatown anymore, because of the threat of crime. People I know at work and friends of mine who would used to find any excuse to hang out in DC during the weekends are now hesitating to even go into town now. The decline in activity in the city is starting to get really noticeable. People are acting like DC is going back to it's dark ages of the 80s and 90s, and in a lot of ways, it is.

 

[Spade]

Will be interesting to see what happens with the gallery place area.

 

[Bleedin Gums Murphy]

What’s really eating at me is, I thought Leonsis was trying to buy the Nats in a partner group with David Rubenstein, and talks fell apart.

Now, Rubenstein is in talks of buying the Orioles—without Leonsis—and now Ted and his Middle East backers are moving to VA.

And the Wizards Bullets are collateral damage in all of this because his beloved Caps are worth approx. less than half of both each the Bullets and Nats.

 

[FAH1223]

What’s really eating at me is, I thought Leonsis was trying to buy the Nats in a partner group with David Rubenstein, and talks fell apart.

Now, Rubenstein is in talks of buying the Orioles—without Leonsis—and now Ted and his Middle East backers are moving to VA.

And the Wizards Bullets are collateral damage in all of this because his beloved Caps are worth approx. less than half of both each the Bullets and Nats.

It’s eff Wilbon but…

 

[lochead]

I don’t know the DMV enough to speculate but what does this mean for the black community in D.C?

It means Black folks (along with others) will still go to the games at Potomac Yards but, the ni66as, BHI, Dustheads, Homeless, Nut-jobs and, the bad ass lil ni66as that constantly hang around Cap One/ Chinatown will not be within 1000 feet of the new spot. VA ain’t having none of that

 

[FAH1223]

 

[murksiderock]

Even if you just constrained it to places you could get to via the metro ( Alexandria,Arlington,Tysons,Fairfax Co.) it's still a far better overall experience as dining,entertainment and accessibility compared to Virginia Beach.

Richmond is developed, but it's not a destination for people in the same manner than the DC Metro area is. You can't sell me on having to make the decision of driving to DC or North Carolina for pro sports..... i do get it being a destination for people who come from the middle of nowhere or stayed after college. count me out tho breh.

Different strokes for different folks, my brother...

I'm not from the middle of nowhere so obviously my love for Virginia isn't because I'm from some rural hick town. You've expanded the conversation to include "experience", which, while some find a greater experience in NoVa, count me in with those who find a greater experience in Rich...

Richmond is significantly blacker than anywhere in the entirety of Northern Virginia, and that has a profound impact on how one can experience a place. There's a different history and story in Richmond unlike anything you can find in NoVa...

Richmond is far more walkable than most of those areas you named which are mostly office buildings and bland "new urbanist" townhomes and apartments. If "experience" matters there is nowhere in Northern Virginia that matches the character of Richmond, which aesthetically has more diverse housing stock and more of a pulse a living, breathing city...

Not the supergrown soccer mom suburbs of a major city...

Even with The Beach, it's one of those cities you have to live in to truly experience the culture. Most people who go to The Beach go to The Oceanfront----->that is not an indication of what living in the city is like. And really, Virginia Beach has more of an independent streak than NoVa, though I'd reiterate again, it shares some commonalities with Northern Virginia, though just at a smaller scale...

You couldn't pay me enough money to live in Northern Virginia again. If I was going to Virginia, I'm not going to the suburbs, and if I was going to the DMV area, it's District or bust because I have even less of an opinion about Maryland than I have about NoVa...

But it's definitely different strokes for different folks, brodie!

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

If the Wizards leave Chinatown, then where will the Hebrew Isrealites post up to yell at white people?

The real question that needs to be answered. And what happens to that McDonald’s with all the fukkery?

 

[br82186]

The real question that needs to be answered. And what happens to that McDonald’s with all the fukkery?

They closed it

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

They closed it

Damn fr??? I used to be in and around that joint after games watching fights then going to Bar Louie

 

[mastermind]

Damn fr??? I used to be in and around that joint after games watching fights then going to Bar Louie

Bar Louie also closed (before pandemic closing)

 

[mastermind]

There's nothing else for the city to do at this point. It looks like Leonsis is dead set on moving both teams to VA. According to news reports, DC only has 1-2 days at best to try to "wow" Leonsis with an offer to get him to change his mind and stay in DC. I don't think it's just about the arena to Leonsis, it's the area around the arena and the lack of activity in Chinatown/Gallery Place (along with the crime) that has Leonsis upset. The white people who used to jam that part of town before and after games are now leaving as soon as the games end. People don't want to hang around downtown or Chinatown anymore, because of the threat of crime. People I know at work and friends of mine who would used to find any excuse to hang out in DC during the weekends are now hesitating to even go into town now. The decline in activity in the city is starting to get really noticeable. People are acting like DC is going back to it's dark ages of the 80s and 90s, and in a lot of ways, it is.

That's all bullshyt

leonsis doesn’t want to pay for an arena or any upgrades. He been suggesting he wants to move the last five years unless DC pays up.

This is from 2016

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2016/11/15/ted-leonsis-didnt-mean-to-scare-anybody-about-possibly-leaving-d-c/

Sports arenas do nothing long term for an areas economy. They could make that area an extension of City Centre and it would be better than the arena.

 

[Apprentice]

Why tho That makes no sense whatsoever. No metro and it’s 1 way in one way out, 395.

My fam is in Woodbridge thats the worst traffic bottleneck in the dmv. Regardless of time or rush hour it completely halts around lake ridge and for my whole life I have no idea why.

Leaving PG makes sense. But then you would either 1) move into one of many quickly gentrifying areas in Dc, or 2- if you wanna do VA move toward Tyson’s which is already developed and still has space. Or just go to Lorton/Springfield still within the metro line

There is nothing worth developing in Woodbridge

I disagree with the last part, Woodbridge is rich asf