DC Soccer Stadium Doomed Because Developer Is Black

Victor A. McFarlane is a wealthy black developer. For that reason alone his proposal to build a 27,000-seat soccer stadium across the Anacostia River from the Nationals baseball stadium currently under construction will fail. Just ask the black developers of the proposed Children's Island project. They passed a bill in Congress to transfer the land for a National Children's Island. They received approval from the DC City Council. The project still failed because one person stalled it into nonexistence--former Mayor Tony Williams when he was CFO. The developers did everything they were supposed to do but were still unsuccessful in developing their project.

The soccer team owned by McFarlane, DC United, has proposed to pay $150 million for the stadium and is requesting $200 million in benefits from the city, such as roads, tax incentives and the right to develop nearby land. This is standard operating procedure for such projects. National Harbor in Prince George's County received $500 million in such benefits from Maryland and the county. The Nationals baseball stadium is being publicly financed for $611 million and is being constructed in record time. McFarlane also wants to build 5,000 housing units, 750,000 square feet of retail space and 659,000 square feet of office space. (Wash Post)

McFarlane wants to build on 110 acres at Poplar Point in Ward 8, which is 98 percent black. Mr. McFarlane should know, if he doesn't already, that this site is on or near a CERCLA (similar to Superfund) site on Park Service property. Good luck brother. Blacks simply do not get to develop these types of projects. Go propose a chicken joint or something. You will have a better chance at getting approval. Or put your Asian partner out front. The project will have a better chance for approval.

Okay. So Jack Kent Cooke failed too but he still built within eyesight and about 5 miles from where he proposed to build near RFK Stadium. We are still sticking with the race card. Just look around at all the other development projects that have been approved. (The Washington Post)