Wizards Staying Put As Alexandria, Va., Nixes Planned Arena

March 27, 2024

The Washington Wizards will not become the Virginia Wizards, or even just the Washington Wizards of Alexandria, Va.

Instead, it appears they will remain in Washington, D.C. for the time being.

As relayed by the Washington Post, a planned arena for a Wizards move to Alexandria has been nixed. The newspaper reported the following:

“Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and the teams’ owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment chief executive Ted Leonsis, had announced a handshake agreement in December to build a new arena in Alexandria as part of a $2.2 billion mixed-use development. Although the Virginia House of Delegates gave the idea initial approval, the proposal never passed the Senate and was left out of the state’s budget.

“In the statement, the city said the proposal was ‘worthy of community discussion and Council consideration,’ but that it was ‘disappointed in what occurred between the Governor and General Assembly.'”

The Wizards currently play at Capital One Arena, in downtown D.C. Their lease at the building is good through 2047. And based on the latest news, they will undoubtedly remain there for a bit longer.