Poll of Four Alexandria Neighborhoods Finds Overwhelming Majority Oppose Arena

Traffic and Unjustified Subsidies Named as Reasons to Reject “Glenn-Dome”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A poll of four neighborhoods located near the proposed “Glenn-Dome” entertainment district in Alexandria found that residents overwhelmingly reject the proposal and would not want to see it built. Over 58% of respondents oppose the arena, more than double the 28.57% who said they support it.

A representative survey of civic association members conducted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, Hume Spring Civic Association, Lynnhaven Civic Association, and Rosemont Civic Association from February 13-26 found that 58.17% of respondents “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed the project versus 28.57% who “strongly” or “somewhat” supported it.

“This poll confirms what many of us have been saying since this project emerged from the shadows four months ago: Alexandria residents do not want this two billion-dollar white elephant,” said Andrew Macdonald, former vice-mayor of Alexandria. “The City of Alexandria is not equipped to handle the crowds the sports teams will draw. The huge financial subsidies from the city and state for billionaire team owner Leonsis are outrageous. Furthermore, if Leonsis’s rosy projections don’t deliver, Alexandria residents could be on the hook for millions of dollars more. We don’t need the noise, the traffic, or the pollution, and the city needs to concentrate on important challenges like housing, education and sewage issues.”

The citizen associations’ survey cited traffic, parking, the cost to Alexandria and Virginia taxpayers, and concerns about public subsidies going to private businesses as top reasons that neighbors oppose the project. These issues have been raised repeatedly in public forums by the Coalition and everyday citizens who have urged their elected representatives in Richmond and Alexandria to oppose Governor Youngkin’s deal with billionaire Ted Leonsis’ Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

“We are proud to stand with our fellow citizens of Alexandria against this project,” said Coalition co-founder Adrien Kay Lopez. “Contrary to arena proponents’ claims, these survey results prove that the opposition to the arena isn’t just coming from a vocal minority of citizens. Public opinion is on our side. Our quality of life is more important than profits for millionaires and billionaires.”

The citizen association survey results reflect the findings of other polls showing broad citizen opposition to the arena deal, including those conducted by BlueVirginia (86% opposed) and ALXNow (70.52% opposed). Comments from citizens at Alexandria City Council hearings, one of the only forums where people can speak up vocally about this issue, have also been overwhelmingly against the arena deal.

Full survey results can be viewed and downloaded here.

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The Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard is a grassroots organization that advocates on behalf of the thousands of Alexandria and Arlington residents who would be directly impacted by the arena, the Virginians who will be negatively affected by an investment of this scale by the Commonwealth, and a bipartisan group of national advocacy groups, all of whom oppose the proposed arena deal. For more information, visit stopthearena.org.