Leesburg council votes against Washington Commanders stadium

LEESBURG, Va. - One of the most pressing questions in the D.C. area right now is: Where will the Washington Commanders play their home games when the team’s lease at FedEx Field in Landover expires in five years?

Maryland, the District and Virginia are all jockeying. But could Virginia have just hit a snag?

Leesburg Town Council voted Wednesday night to allow Mayor Kelly Burk to write a letter to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors saying they don’t think an NFL stadium belongs in Loudoun County.

READ MORE: Will the Washington Commanders move to a new stadium?

FOX 5's David Kaplan spoke with Mayor Burk, who says there have been promises made about not using the public's money. However, the mayor still worries that taxpayers will pay a price. 

"We felt very strongly that our tax dollars should not go towards spending it on a stadium," she explained.  "We have a lot of other needs. The stadium can take care of itself. This is a franchise that’s very wealthy. It’s a team that’s very wealthy and there’s no reason that they can’t be treated just like any other developer and have to pay their share."

One bill has passed the Virginia House, one bill passed the Senate, and they’ve crossed over into the other chamber.

Lawmakers say they’re committed to not putting a tax burden on people. Instead, they have suggested selling municipal bonds to lesson the financial burden.

Mayor Burk calls that semantics; that in some way, this will impact taxpayers. She also says she has concerns about over development.

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The man who would have to sign the bill to make the move official said earlier this month that taxpayers' wallets will be considered before anything becomes official. 

"We will of course protect the best interest of Virginia taxpayers," Gov. Glenn Youngkin said. "I’m engaged and enthusiastic to see where this goes." 

One Loudoun lawmaker who voted yes for the House bill doesn’t want the stadium in Loudoun.

In a statement to FOX 5's David Kaplan, Dave LaRock said he voted yes to ensure a vigorous debate in the legislature, one he believes will result in "protections for taxpayers."