Testimonial
A sports entertainment complex that is now going to exist on Buzzard Point is going to ratchet up the world-classness of this city, and we owe a lot of thanks to Five Corners for that.
D.C. United
Project Overview
For nearly a decade, D.C. United had been searching for a new, soccer-specific venue it could call home. After two failed attempts and several false starts spanning nearly a decade, a new front office and management team knew it had to deliver for its fans. A new site, Buzzard Point, situated near Nationals Ballpark along the banks of the Anacostia River in an underutilized industrial area was selected.
The project faced major challenges because of concerns over the use of taxpayer funds and the mix of public and private land, which required multiple land swaps in order to complete the transaction.
The Goals
- To gain legislative and community support and approvals for a new $300M soccer specific stadium in Washington, D.C.
The Strategy
To create the largest advocacy coalition, UniteDC, ever created in Washington, D.C. for a sports-related cause. This goal included the dual purpose of making the campaign about much more than a stadium, but also about the diverse cultures that supported D.C. United and soccer in the District.
The Highlights
- Over 80,000 emails to D.C. Councilmembers over a six-month period from supporters
- Over 5,750 “Likes” to the UniteDC Facebook page and 600 Twitter Followers in a three-month
period - Over 10,000 supporters joined UniteDC through our NationBuilder advocacy and engagement module
- Over 500 supporters attended four Council public hearings with over 150 providing public testimony
The Outcome
Five Corners was able to garner enough support to convince elected officials to approve plans for a 20,000 seat Major League Soccer stadium for the D.C. United franchise. On December 17, 2014, the Washington, D.C. Council voted unanimously to approve the legislation and it was signed into law by Mayor Gray on December 30, 2014. The stadium is expected to be ready for the 2017 season.