Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is no longer trying to persuade the Washington Redskins to build its next stadium at a parcel of land adjacent to MGM National Harbor, according to multiple reports.
Hogan informed the Redskins he will not continue discussions “at this time” for the project.
For a stadium to be possible, Hogan needed the U.S. Interior Department to approve a land swap that would give Maryland control of a 300-acre site in Oxon Cove Park, which is currently federal land. In December, Hogan acknowledged he was negotiating a deal that would do so.
But on Tuesday, Hogan’s spokeswoman, Amelia Chasse, said the governor is now eyeing that land for a different use.
“We are not continuing discussions with the Redskins regarding this site at this time,” Chasse told The Washington Post, who first reported the news. “However, we are moving full steam ahead with acquiring state control of the Maryland Gateway in Prince George’s County from the federal government.
“We believe this site holds significant potential benefits for the region and the state, as does the proposal to expand protected federal parkland in Western Maryland. We are working closely with our federal partners to finalize the transfer.”
The news is a setback for the Redskins, who were hoping to have multiple bidders for its next stadium in order to create leverage.
Washington’s lease at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland expires in 2027 and the team is hoping to have a new stadium built by then.
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder’s preference for a new stadium is believed to be at the site of RFK Stadium in the District.
But that plan has also faced obstacles. Like the land in Oxon Cove, the RFK site is also federally controlled, which means the District would need to gain control of it through Congress or agree to a lease.
The Redskins and District officials tried to do that in December by working with House Republicans to insert a provision that would have freed up the land in a spending bill. But that bill was halted when the government shut down.
Washington has also had discussions about building a stadium in Virginia near Dulles International Airport, but Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam reportedly has shown “little interest” in landing the Redskins, per the Post.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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