Wizards, Capitals commit to D.C. as Capital One Arena gets approved for $515 million renovation

WASHINGTON — Better late than never for Ted Leonsis and Muriel Bowser.

The owner of the Wizards, Capitals and Mystics, along with the G League’s Go-Go, and Washington’s mayor took their victory lap Thursday morning, in what will, if all goes according to plan, be a centerpiece of an $800 million renovation of Capital One Arena. The renovation will keep the Wizards and Capitals in the building through their 2049-50 seasons and allow for additional future events to be held in the building, which is open approximately 220 to 230 nights a year.

“I think the mayor’s being modest,” Leonsis said after a ceremonial groundbreaking, which included NBA commissioner Adam Silver and local officials who helped get the legislation through the city council.

“As we were starting to iterate our showings of preliminary plans, she said ‘make it more connected to D.C.,'” Leonsis continued. “‘Make it modern, airy, I want to see a lot of light. I want to see connection with the streets … there will be now, just as there is at the art museum across the street, a roof that will connect this. And this, still, you’ll be able to walk through from 6th Street to 7th Street. We’ve been able to amalgamate, if you will, a sizable footprint. And once you have the space, you can innovate, you can make those investments.”



https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6006548/2024/12/19/capital-one-arena-renovations-approved-wizards-capitals/