In the greater Washington DC metropolitan area there is no more potent brand name than the Washington Redskins. But it goes further than that. For decades in our nation’s history, through the Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations – before most of the Baby Boomers had entered kindergarten – the Redskins were the preeminent “local” professional football team throughout the American southeast, with a fan base extending from Maryland through Florida and as far west as Texas. East of the Mississippi and south of the Mason-Dixon line, you can find communities of Redskins fans whose roots go back for generations.
That is why the Redskins are an NFL franchise like none other (and I say this, begrudgingly, as a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan). That is why, despite a record of often chronic mediocrity since the early 1990s, the burgundy and gold has grown into one of the two most profitable franchises in all of professional sports (the other being a certain silver and blue team in Texas).
Little known to much of the “Redskins Nation” is the fact the Redskins spend the vast majority of their time in Loudoun County, with the main offices and training facility at Redskins Park located off the Loudoun County Parkway. But Loudoun has gotten precious little PR or money for that matter as a result of this silent partnership.
Now, Loudoun County, the area’s residential mega mart with homes as far as the eye can see and a commercial tax base consisting of seven motels and a roadside custard stand (and some massive corporations asked only to provide beer money for the Board of Supervisors’ summer picnic), has an opportunity to co-brand with the Washington Redskins – and serve as home for the future Redskins’ Hall of Fame museum. The price tag for Loudoun County’s share of this joint marketing effort is $250,000, which would be drawn from money already allocated to promote tourism here. This would appear to be a no brainer, because the Redskins brand is only going to get stronger, and our county desperately needs the revenues that would accrue from becoming a destination with more emotional buy-in than the airport is currently affording us.
For an excellent introduction to this issue, please click here to go read Loudoun Insider’s story at Too Conservative. Then come back here, please, to read the rest.
Unfortunately, there is a contingent on the Board of Supervisors who contend the money would be better spent educating hospitality workers about the Journey Through Hallowed Ground (JTHG) which is a stretch of road in western Loudoun that is being preserved from future development.
So either the $250,000 will be spent on a marketing initiative to allow Loudoun County to formally co-brand itself with the national powerhouse franchise Washington Redskins and open the door for the Redskins to build their Hall of Fame here, or the $250,000 will be spent on literature, receptions and meetings for personnel from wineries, antique shops, restaurants and bed and breakfasts in western Loudoun to tell them all how wonderful the JTHG project is so they can pass the information along to customers … at some point in the future, this educational effort is supposed to benefit Loudoun County.
It appears one of the main interest groups advocating to get the $250,000 spent on western Loudoun is the same group that funded many of the Democratic supervisors’ recent campaigns on the “slow growth” agenda. Read into that what you will.
I have also heard that at least one of the Democratic supervisors, Andrea McGimsey, is opposing the cross-marketing project with the Redskins in part because she has a problem with the “Redskins” name. Frankly, I have trouble believing this, because Ms. McGimsey’s district is practically ground zero for the Redskins Nation – portions only a few miles from Redskins Park – and from my brief conversations with her she seems reasonable and honestly concerned about her contituents. But the rumor is out there that she finds the name of the team offensive. Let’s hope this is not true and, in any case, that Supervisor McGimsey would have a bias for economic growth in Loudoun County.
Regardless of the hearsay, the fact of the matter is the Board of Supervisors may well vote against the Washington Redskins project and send the $250,000 to promote tourism in the western part of the county. I think this would be a major opportunity lost.
The public hearing will be tomorrow night, Monday, December 1, 6:30 pm, in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E. in Leesburg. The matter will be voted on by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning. If you are a Redskins fan, or concerned about the lack of commercial tax revenue in Loudoun County, please show up at the meeting Monday evening and sign up to speak (arrive at 6:30 pm and walk down to the right front part of the room and ask to have your name put on the speakers’ list. They will call you up and you can speak for up to three minutes saying why you think we should spend the money on the Redskins project).
Here is the story in Loudoun Times earlier this month.
“Wouldn’t that be something to say, ‘Redskins Park at Loudoun County?’” said Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run), who chairs the Board of Supervisors’ economic development committee. “This is exciting news.”
The partnership would allow Loudoun to place its name throughout all Redskins-owned media outlets. A county banner advertisement would appear on the team’s Web site, and mention of the county would be made regularly on Redskins-owned radio stations and television programs. Also, “Home of the Washington Redskins” would appear on the county Web site and on other county material.
If you cannot make it to the hearing, send an e-mail with your thoughts on the matter to the entire Board of Supervisors at bos@loudoun.gov. Or you can go to this page on the Loudoun County Web site and click on the name of each supervisor to contact them individually.
Tags: Loudoun County, McGimsey, Redskins
Why would the board want to spend money on Eastern Loudoun for promotion of the area?
You have crime, gangs, traffic and whatever else you can think of, whereas Western Loudoun is pretty much open for growth.
It would cost more to clean up Eastern Loudoun than to spend $250,000.00 on promoting the area in Western Loudoun.
I am surprised the Redskins have not moved out of the area and headed west.
Marjorie, The Skins have too much invested in their Ashburn complex to move. Western Loudoun also doesn’t have the commercial infrastructure to support this, hotel beds, restaurants etc. to support the tourism associated with a museum.
True,
even with the investment by the Redskins,media reports of crime, gangs etc. will keep people from coming into Eastern Loudoun.
growth in western loudoun will happen sooner than later, Redskins will see this.
In the various place I have lived in, I would avoid high crime areas. period. No matter who or what was in that area. It can always be found somewhere else.
While I don’t like crime levels increasing, I don’t think Eastern Loudoun rises to the level of say – SE Washington DC or Philly. It is a legitimate concern for investors, but the Redkins are already established here.
I think the larger issue is, should LoCo be forking out money to Dan Snyder and the Washington Redskins Organization when there is a prediction of 3-5 years of budget deficits. I know it takes money to make money, but what is the possibility of the tourist money (250K) being used in another area where it is sorely needed? Does the LoCo budget allow for reallocation of funds? I am not saying this should be done, but advancing the cause of one of the richest men in the area when we have leverage (cost of moving the team , etc) should at least be explored.
Seems like Dan Snyder is always asking – what can you do for me when LoCo should be asking the same thing.
thinking of football, where are the calls to save plaxico? i would have thought carrying a concealed weapon into a nightclub for protection was a right this group would be behind.
Cathy, the $250k is going to get spent, the question is whether to co-brand with the Skins or to promote JTHG.
Chief, In NY only cops and criminals are legally allowed to have guns. Plaxico should have known the rules.
el jefe,
if you are dumb enough to carry a firearm in NYC, be prepared for a long and expensive court fight. The city does issue permits, but it is excruciatingly slow, and you have to demonstrate a need.
I am curious to see if Plexico’s lawyers will try to declare the NYC law unconstitutional in light of the recent SCOTUS decision in Heller v. DC
Cmac,
We should remember the LoCo subsidizes other companies for much more, and with less return than this opportunity with the Skins.
Even though I am very big on the preservation of Civil War sites, frankly, I don’t see JTHG doing much for tourism. I believe this would be a secondary attraction for those coming to the area to see Udvar-Hazy or a Redskins Museum.
What bugs me is that this is money spent on wealthy no matter what. If there is a purchase (co-brand) included, at least the county gets something for their money. I could see this as a win for the county a lot sooner than anything else. Right now, the Washington Redskins have a name associated only with DC (and M, the crime rate there is higher than Eastern Loudoun, but it doesn’t stop Skins fans from going to football games). If there is an associate withe Loudoun County, I can’t see that as a bad thing.
Cathy, the $250k is going to get spent, the question is whether to co-brand with the Skins or to promote JTHG
Joe- Not if others embarrass them for spending
$ 250,000 for corporate welfare while the county is $ 180 million in the red. This is the kind of thing you do when you are flush with cash. We are not.
Don’t get me wrong I actually think the County is smart to work with the Redskins. However, I believe Dan Snyder is in a much better position to pony up 250K than we are.
Here is what I said a couple of days ago on TC:
If you want hospitality training get a job at Marriott. If the redskins and citizens want a shrine to a franchise support the project and have Daniel Snyder pay for it. Taxpayers are a little strapped right now, to the tune of 180 million in the red.
The 250 k should be spent on public safety. Give that money to the Captain in charge of the future Sterling Sheriffs Substation. I am sure he will put it to good use.You remember public safety, one of the core responsibilities of local government. Why anyone would even consider giving either of these proposed projects in the current economic climate is amazing to me.
Our governmnet is broke and you people are arguing whether our government should be pissing away 250 K on how to be nice to tourists or subsidize a millionaire s marketing plan.
- g.stone
I choose door number 3.
The county’s a cool 180 million in the red and climbing. (According to G.Stone)
What they should be doing is cleaning up house. Such as the following:
End the bill for free loaders,
Stop all assistance for illegal’s (they will move on)
Use funds for non important spending and direct it towards paying off debt,
Sell property that was purchased and is not being used or will never be used due to improper spending on some dumb ideas.
What they should not do is go to Washington for bailout funds.
All residents should demand to know how much money is spent on the illegals in Loudoun County or another way: how many tax dollars per person in the county is being spent to support illegals?
For an example, I read in one state each tax payer pays $593.00. Per year. To support illegal’s
If you take the 2007 population growth for Loudoun, you and many tax payers will have paid using the $593.00 per person amount; have paid $177,900,000.00 in support funds in one year.
So, where’s all the money going if Loudoun County is in debt for a cool $180 million?
Well, some of you got your wish. The Redskins deal went down 5-4. But the Journey Through Hallowed Ground got $156,000 for “hospitality training” (no, I’m not making that item up, unfortunately).
[...] of our readers have gotten their wish: Five members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors told the Washington Redskins to f— [...]