The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors directed county staff Tuesday night to finalize a marketing partnership with the National Football League’s Washington Redskins worth an estimated $16 million to Loudoun County.
On a unanimous 8-0 vote, with Chairman Scott York (R-At Large) absent for personal reasons, the supervisors signed off on a deal to spend $2 million – $500,000 annually over the next four years – to showcase the county through various avenues with the Redskins.
All the county funds will be pulled from restricted use transient occupancy taxes, which by law must be spent on tourism-related ventures.
The deal is part of a larger pact with the state to keep the Redskins corporate headquarters in Loudoun County and shift several weeks of the team’s summer training camp to Richmond. Gov. Bob McDonnell has pledged $4 million from the state and the Virginia State Lottery another $6 million.
According to information provided by Loudoun County, the operations of Redskins Park in Ashburn have created an annual statewide economic impact of $31 million, while generating more than $2 million in state and local tax revenues. The local economic impact of the planned expansion at Redskins Park is estimated at $10 million.
The franchise estimated Loudoun County’s total value in the deal at $16 million over eight years.
Key provisions of the agreement for the county include on-air mentions/on-screen identification; press backdrop logo rotation; use of the Redskins team trademarks; video production for the county; corporate events, VIP tours and recreational field events at the Redskins Park; a presenting game entitlement, including use of the FedEx Field premium suite; Redskins summer training camp hospitality packages; club level tickets; pre-game field passes; and special event ticket pre-sale opportunities for Loudoun businesses.
York, at his State of the County address June 8, briefed business leaders on the board’s intent to move forward with the Redskins package.
“We know that the Redskins are committed to Loudoun County for a minimum of eight years. They are investing a lot of money into upgrading their facility our there at Redskin Park,” said York. “Even though we lose training camp to Richmond, the bigger benefit is that they stay in Loudoun County, their players stay in Loudoun County … there are millionaires spending money in Loudoun County.”
According to state and local officials, Loudoun County and the commonwealth of Virginia were in a heated contest with the state of Maryland and Washington D.C. to house the Redskins.
Same to say that the same people who ran a anti-socialist campaign are the ones who are corporate socialists. Taking from the many to give to the few, a kind of reverse socialism. I am quoting another website on this, but here is its’ take on it, “The best quotes, and most effusive plaudits, came from a most unlikely source — Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio of Sterling, the board’s most conservative member. Delgaudio is not one to spend taxpayer money lightly. He spent several minutes during the same board meeting slamming the Dulles Rail expansion into Loudoun as a debt-inducing “pig.”
“America needs football. Sterling needs football,” Delgaudio said.
And later: “Loudoun needs you. America needs you. Thank you for being in Loudoun. I don’t think this is corporate socialism.”
right honorable, transient occupancy taxes are derived from tourists, and are limited in being used to pump back into tourism-related activities.
It can’t be used to reduce the local property tax rate, or to pay for schools, fire and rescue, etc.
echyone…
you’re being distracted by the shell game. If the county takes in money via occupancy taxes, that money could be used to reduce my property taxes or to improve services. If it’s given to Dan Snyder in the form of corporate welfare it does neither.
So who gets the VIP passes, club level tickets, and access to the FedEx field premium suites??? Could it be the same people who voted for this corporate welfare???
@mephisto
Read the article. The money comes from transient occupancy taxes not property taxes.
As a separate item, will county citizens be able to ‘win’ the “use of the FedEx Field premium suite; Redskins summer training camp hospitality packages; club level tickets”?
So who gets the suite and club level tickets?
This reporting never comes right out and says it but isn’t it a fact that Dan Snyder will cash checks for $500,000 each year, drawn on the coffers of Loudoun County. I don’t make a nickel off the Redskins being anywhere near Virginia so I don’t know why my tax money has to go to Dan Snyder. This is all done so our BOS can get seats at the game.
So much for fiscally-prudent GOP supervisors.
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