But the Prince George's County Council voted unanimously in April to oppose state legislation that would have commissioned a feasibility study for the stadium project, which effectively ended the plan. The Prince George's County site proposal, according to media reports, would have required the Maryland Stadium Authority to float bonds for the stadium that would have been secured by D.C. United rent and future tax revenue.
"We understand that D.C. United ... has abandoned any plans to build a stadium in Prince George's County," Dixon's letter said. "In light of the substantial benefits ... it is well worth considering whether the City of Baltimore might explore the merits of a new soccer stadium in Baltimore for D.C. United."
Millard said Dixon's interest in building a soccer stadium was based, at least in part, on the success of this summer's exhibition match between AC Milan and Chelsea at M&T Bank Stadium, which was held in front of a sold-out crowd of 71,000.
In other Maryland Stadium Authority matters Tuesday, the agency unanimously approved a plan to borrow $24 million to pay for renovations and repairs to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as well as upgrading the video scoreboard and video control room at M&T Bank Stadium.
Of that money, $10 million will go toward maintenance and safety upgrades at Oriole Park, $10 million will go toward renovating and repairing the seating bowl, and $4 million will go toward replacing the new scoreboards for the Ravens. The bonds will be repaid by setting aside the first $1.3 million each year that the Maryland Stadium Authority receives from the state lottery.
Stadium authority chairman John Morton III said a study done by the authority concluded that Oriole Park and its warehouse needed close to $30 million in repairs and safety renovations, as well as maintenance upgrades that would essentially pay for themselves by making the building more energy-efficient. Out of that number, the committee came up with a plan that could fix the most pressing issues for $10 million.
The Ravens are contributing $6 million toward the video scoreboard and control room part of the project. After a study that included input from the Ravens, the authority decided to go forward with a plan to add high-definition video boards similar to the ones inside Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets.
