WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. officials announced on Tuesday that they have selected two firms, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. and the Robert Bobb Group, to conduct a “sports study.” The study aims to examine professional sports financing and economic impacts and potentially attract the Washington Commanders back to the District. Both firms have previously worked on projects such as the Wharf and Nationals Park. The study is expected to cost $394,000, with preliminary results anticipated to be made public within six weeks. “D.C. is a proud sports town that values our professional teams and their important role in our community,” said Nina Albert, the acting deputy mayor for planning and development. She announced the firms chosen for the study and emphasized the study’s role in supporting D.C.’s teams and understanding the city’s sports landscape. While the study will assess the current stadium needs of Capital One Arena, Nationals Park, and Audi Field, the focus is on whether the old RFK stadium can be demolished and redeveloped for a new Commanders stadium. Mayor Muriel Bowser has expressed her desire for the team to return to the District. However, there are skeptics, including City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who believe taxpayers should not bear the cost of a new publicly funded stadium when other stadiums and teams have more immediate needs. Mendelson notes the need for a new scoreboard at Nationals Park, estimated to cost over $20 million. Events DC, responsible for maintaining the city’s sports facilities, mentioned ongoing negotiations for other improvements at the facility. Mendelson acknowledges the reputability of the selected firms but questions the delay in their selection, given the pressing issues with other sports stadiums in the city. He stresses that the city must address the maintenance issues at Nationals Park and the outdated state of Capital One arena.
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