While Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. is willing to work with the federal government on a land swap that would give Maryland control of Oxon Cove, a 500-acre parcel on the Potomac River in southern Prince George’s County, his administration expects county officials to take the lead in negotiating a stadium deal with Washington Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder, according to officials who have been briefed on the still-early discussions about the project.
The move reflects a recognition on the part of Hogan (R) and his staff that the Redskins have lost much of their luster under Snyder’s nearly 20-year ownership of the team and that keeping their distance from the unpopular owner is a smart move for a politician whose stock is on the rise.
The state’s stance potentially reduces the likelihood that the team will end up moving from Landover, the site of their current home, FedEx Field, to the undeveloped Oxon Cove site near National Harbor, just off the Capital Beltway near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) has struck a neutral posture regarding Oxon Cove as a potential stadium site, saying that while the Redskins are a valued enterprise, she would not be willing to take funds from other higher priorities, such as education, public safety, health care and economic development, to keep the team from moving away.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Bruce DePuyt over at Maryland Matters