D.C. United, Washington’s professional soccer team, has been trying to build a new stadium since 2006. With a new stadium proposal in the works, they may finally get one! Although D.C. United is one of the most successful teams in Major League Soccer, they still lack fan support. This year D.C. United has the third lowest attendance in Major League soccer. they average 13,604 fans per game compared to 13, 846 last season. Maybe the new stadium will draw more fans.
The first proposal for a new stadium was introduced in 2006. It was to be called Poplar Point Stadium. The proposal fell apart when there were financial arguments as to how much of the stadium would be funded by the city and how much was to be funded by D.C. United. Despite the fallout between the city and D.C. United, then mayor, Adrian Fenty, opted to have a closed door meeting to discuss the funding of $150 million for the club, but then the meeting never took place. The second bid for the stadium involved constructing a stadium in Prince George’s County, Maryland, but the legislations for the new stadium failed to pass the board, so D.C. United was still without a stadium plan.This latest proposal was introduced in 2011; it calls for a $180 million stadium to be built in the Buzzard Point neighborhood, with the capacity of about 24,000, which is estimated to open in 2016. It would be adjacent to Nationals Park. On July 25th, 2013, D.D. United announced that Buzzard Point would be the new location.
I can remember when I worked on the Nationals Stadium during the onset of the recession. I worked long hard hours sometimes six days a week. As the completion of the job wound down, workers started to get transferred to other job sites. The Monday of the last week, myself and three other workers were told that our services were no longer needed. We were laid off and told that when another job started we would be called, but we were never called. Yes, it’s good that the stadium would create jobs, but it would be great if it created careers. Six months of unemployment compensation just wasn’t enough. While working on the National’s Stadium, I gained experience and skills. If given the chance to be employed, I would have enhanced my experience and skills, and maybe made it to my profession. In today’s world, it’s about having a profession that can carry us over in life.
