What does a Commanders sale mean for the future of a new stadium?

GREATER LANDOVER, Md. — Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder and his reputation has long been a roadblock to the team’s hopes of building a new stadium, particularly in Virginia. State lawmakers ended up pulling support for a tax incentive package to build the team’s new complex in Northern Virginia amid Snyder’s mounting legal woes.

Now, all that could change. According to a WUSA9 source Thursday, Snyder was very close to finalizing a deal to sell the NFL team. One of the billionaires involved in the reported deal is already trying to build a new arena for one of the other teams he owns. 

In the summer of 2022, Josh Harris, a managing partners of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, announced he is pursuing a new state of the art sports and entertainment arena in downtown Philly known as 76 Place. Philadelphia officials announced Wednesday an independent study looking into the impact the proposed arena would have on the surrounding area, from economic impact to parking and traffic.

Harris’ 76 Place calls for the $1 billion arena to be privately funded with no city subsidies.

There’s been virtually no momentum for using tax dollars for a new Commanders stadium. It’s unclear if that would change in D.C., Maryland or Virginia once Snyder is no longer associated with the team.

Wednesday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser weighed in on the Commanders sale and the team's potential return to the district.

“We’re not surprised,” Bowser said. “We know that this has been pending for some time. And we know that this is a very valuable team. It will be even more valuable when it comes home to Washington, D.C.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also issued the following statement on the Commanders sale: 

"Maryland has been the home of the Commanders for the last 25 years, and Governor Moore is excited to start the next chapter in the longstanding partnership between the team and the state. If this purchase is approved by the NFL, the governor looks forward to meeting with the new owners to hear their vision for the future of Commanders football."

WUSA9 reached out to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and are awaiting his comments.

A Northern Virginia government official working on a potential stadium deal told WUSA9  “it’s way too early to know” how the Harris' potential ownership will impact the location of the team's new stadium.

Asked specifically whether they'd had any discussions with Harris or anyone associated with his ownership group, the source said, “I can’t comment on any conversations that we’ve had.”