The Redskins’ deal with Virginia to move training camp to Richmond and to keep Redskins Park in the state is getting the attention of some state lawmakers.
As part of the agreement, the team is getting a total of $6 million in government grants, $4 million of which was a grant from the state. A legislative budget oversight panel questioned senior aides from the administration of Governor Bob McDonnell for an hour on Monday. According to the AP story, the grilling was bipartisan.
The questioning centered on whether or not the Redskins would have moved had the state not come up with the $4 million. McDonnell justified the expenditure by saying that Virginia would lose some $9.8 million in tax revenue if the team headquarters was located elsewhere.
There were reports that both the District of Columbia and Maryland were preparing bids to have the Redskins move their facility into their jurisdictions. It is unclear how attractive or serious those bids were.
The panel also said that McDonnell proceeded with the Redskins deal unilaterally while knowing that the legislature was opposed to giving any taxpayer money to the highly profitable business.
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