Entertainment and Sports Arena: Difference between revisions

[[File:Entertainment and Sports Arena Exterior.jpg |thumb |left |155px |The venue circa 2018.]]

Construction for the arena, to include razing of surrounding buildings, began on February 19, 2016.<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Giambrone |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/blog/13070495/bowser-kicks-off-st-elizabeths-demolition-for-wizards-practice-facility |title=Bowser Kicks Off St. Elizabeths Demolition for Wizards' Practice Facility |access-date=August 1, 2017 |date=February 19, 2016 |work=[[Washington City Paper]]}}</ref> Of the $65 million estimated cost for construction, 90% of the cost will be taxpayer funded. The District of Columbia will own the facility while [[Events DC]] will operate the facility.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jonathan |last=O'Connell |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2015/09/15/bowser-outlines-details-of-st-elizabeths-deal/ |work=[[The Washington Post]] |title=Bowser outlines details of St. Elizabeths deal |access-date=September 15, 2015 |date=September 15, 2015}}</ref>

Members of the [[Council of the District of Columbia|DC Council]] sought to introduce legislation capping public expenditure in the case of cost overruns.<ref name="wp.practice">{{cite news |title= D.C. Council member proposes spending cap for Wizards facility |first=Jonathan |last=O'Connell |date=March 1, 2016 |work=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2016/03/01/d-c-council-member-proposes-spending-cap-for-wizards-facility/}}</ref> On July 28, Greg O'Dell, Chairperson of Events DC, requested an additional $10 million in funding while decreasing the number of seats in the facility.<ref name="wp.overruns" /> He said earlier estimates were premature.<ref name="wp.overruns">{{cite news |title=Cost of Wizards practice facility rises $10 million before construction can even begin |first=Jonathan |last=O'Connell |date=July 28, 2016 |work=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2016/07/28/before-construction-can-begin-cost-of-wizards-practice-facility-rises-10-million/?postshare=6821469735085188&tid=ss_tw-bottom}}</ref>

In 2018, O'Dell announced that the cost had increased to $68.8 million, due in part to additions like drywall, and catwalks and higher than anticipated costs like contractors.<ref name="wcp.overrun">{{cite news |title=Price Tag of Taxpayer-Funded Wizards Arena Grows to $69 Million |first=Andrew |last=Giambrone |date=March 1, 2018 |work=[[Washington City Paper]] |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/blog/20994367/price-tag-of-taxpayerfunded-wizards-arena-grows-to-69-million}}</ref> The final cost was nearly 25 percent more than estimated, which DC taxpayers were required to cover.<ref name="cbe" />

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