Poplar Point Stadium

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Poplar Point Stadium
nickname =


caption = Artist's rendition of the proposed stadium
location = Poplar Point, Washington, DC
broke_ground =
opened =
closed =
demolished =
owner =
operator =
surface =
construction_cost = approx. US$150 million
architect =
design-builder =
former_names =
tenants = DC United (MLS)
seating_capacity = 27,000
dimensions =

Poplar Point Stadium is a proposed 27,000-seat soccer-specific stadium for the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. [ [http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20051116&content_id=48481&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp "D.C. United make stadium proposal"] November 16, 2005 (MLSnet.com)] at a site across the Anacostia River from Nationals Park. It would house the D.C. United Major League Soccer team. The expected cost is around US$150 million.cite news |first=David |last=Nakamura |work=Washington Post |title=Talks Fall Apart On Stadium for D.C. Soccer Team |date=2007-07-21 |page=A01 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/20/AR2007072002470.html] MLS Commissioner Don Garber has approved the project. The site, called "Poplar Point", is Metro-accessible via the Anacostia station.

The stadium would be part of a planned 110-acre [cite web |url=http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2006/07/17/story4.html?t=printable |title=D.C. land swap could get kicked to the curb in '06 |accessdate=2006-07-17 |last=Drobnyk |first=Josh |date=July 14, 2006 |publisher="Washington Business Journal"] mixed-use development that would also include a hotel, offices, housing, and retail. The target date for completion is 2010. [cite web |url=http://www.mlsnet.com/gen/photogallery/mls/year_2007/month_06/day_29/cf102333.html |title=New Stadium Project: Poplar Point |date=2007-07-08 |accessdate=2007-07-08]

On July 21, 2007, the "Washington Post" reported that talks had stalled between the team and city officials due to disputes over the financial arrangements proposed by the team, which would have the city providing $200 million in subsidies and development rights while the team assumed construction costs. In January 2008, the team announced it was looking at other possible sites in the area for construction of the new stadium. [ [http://web.mlsnet.com/t103/stadium/poplar_point/ D.C. United: Stadium: Poplar Point ] ]

On February 14, 2008, Washington, D.C. mayor, Adrian Fenty, suggested at a closed-door city council meeting that the city might offer as much as $150 million towards the costs of building a soccer stadium at Poplar Point. There was apparently renewed interest on the part of the city in providing public funds for the stadium at Poplar Point [cite news |title=United is poised to make a move |url=http://www.examiner.com/a-1222539~United_is_poised_to_make_a_move.html |first=Craig |last=Stouffer |work=Washington Examiner |date=February 15, 2008
cite news |title=Fenty Eyes Public Funds for Soccer Stadium |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021303412.html/ |first=David |last=Nakamura |work=Washington Post |page=A01 |date=February 14, 2008] .

On June 11, 2008, the D.C. Council recessed without considering the proposed stadium plan. [ [http://www.nbc4.com/news/16562857/detail.html D.C. Council to Recess Without Taking Up Soccer Stadium Issue] ] According to reports, the council will now consider the plan (if at all) in Fall 2008.

See also

* Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

External links

* [http://www.mlsnet.com/gen/photogallery/mls/year_2007/month_06/day_29/cf102333.html Poplar Point, New Stadium Project] (MLSnet.com)
*cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45646-2004Sep23.html/ |work=Washington Post |title=New Soccer Stadium Is Also Eyed For SE |coauthors=Lori Montgomery and Steven Goff |date=September 24, 2004 |page=A01
* [http://www.poplarpointdc.com/ D.C. government website on Poplar Point]
* [http://www.nbc4.com/sports/15295762/detail.html "D.C. May Spend $150M To Build Soccer Stadium"] . NBC News 4 (WRC-TV).

Notes