HOW DRINKS AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA GOT D.C.’S SPORTS TEAMS TO STAY
The Washington Capitals and Wizards will keep playing in D.C. for the long game. Last night’s newly reached deal between the city and Monumental Sports officially shuts down the proposal to move across the Potomac (or elsewhere). And the Waldorf Astoria’s lobby-level bar played an unexpected part in renegotiating a Capital One Arena lease through 2050.
The ability to expand into its adjacent Gallery Place complex, complete with a new walkway, was a big factor in Ted Leonsis’s about-face decision to keep his NHL and NBA teams at the 20,000-seat arena. He announced bombshell plans in December to relocate his sports teams to Alexandria, which ended up being stalled by the Virginia state government earlier this month. He then reportedly met with the Maryland governor to discuss a move there.
All the while, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was constantly pinging Leonsis on the sidelines to meet up once a week. During a press conference at Capital One Arena last night, Leonsis says the persistent politician pitched her case at their recurring “date” spot as of late: the main couch in the fancy Hilton hotel’s chandelier-laden lobby.
“I’d jump up and run to the bar to get us some drinks [as we] talked about her vision for the city,” he said.
He didn’t disclose what exactly they sipped while talking shop, but it’s no secret that its Peacock Alley bar serves some of the most expensive cocktails in town. While that’s nothing for a billionaire who’s covering the tab, its $30-and-up list includes an aptly named “Power Suit” made with gin, vermouth, sherry, and orange bitters.
The Bazaar by José Andrés happens to overlook the site where the courtship occurred. And the superstar chef and Penn Quarter pioneer, who debuted Jaleo three decades ago across from now-Capital One Arena, was there on Wednesday to help christen the newly negotiated deal. Along with his restaurant row along 7th Street NW, he has another reason to care about the teams staying put; he’s spearheading a luxe new members-only lounge inside the arena.
Bowser ultimately wooed Leonsis over a series of promises that includes a $515 million makeover of the aging arena over the next three years (the D.C. Council plans to address the publicly funded investment next week). As was the opportunity to grow into next-door Gallery Place, where Monumental runs year-old esports gaming facility District E. Bowser’s newly passed anti-crime bill and downtown revitalization plan to draw more workers and residents were also incentives to stay, he said.
Renegotiating a massive contract in the middle of a high-profile hangout like the Waldorf was the “worst investigative reporting infrastructure,” Leonsis admitted at the press conference with a laugh. But it worked.
“We started thinking about what we could do architecturally to make this area truly an entertainment community with sports, music, and dining — now we have 200,000 square feet we can expand to. It’s not 12 acres but it’s enough,” he says.
He referring to the prior plan to build out a massive complex in Potomac Yard, adding he’s not ready to speak to that flopped Virginia plan yet. Its state’s governor Glenn Youngkin is, issuing the following stern statement on Wednesday:
“This should have been our deal and our opportunity, all the General Assembly had to do was say: ‘thank you, Monumental, for wanting to come to Virginia and create $12 billion of economic investment, let’s work it out.’ But no, personal and political agendas drove away the deal,” he said.
Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Va.), chairman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, played a big part in blocking the Virginia deal.
