Stadium Political Fight: Fenty vs. Barry, Brown, and Gray

Did I see this coming? No. From WUSA Channel 9's Bruce Johnson's Blog:

Former four term DC Mayor Marion Barry is taking on the new popular (he won every precinct) Mayor Adrian Fenty in the fight to develop Poplar Point in Southeast. Barry backs new DC United owner Victor McFarland, the San Francisco developer who thought he had a deal with the previous Tony Williams administration...

Barry told me by phone today "He's (Fenty) going to lose this one because any developer he chooses will have to come before the DC Council for approval". The Ward Eight Councilman who represents the Poplar point area added that "McFarland held 30 to 40 community meetings on this and he (Fenty)didn't attend a single one".

At large DC Councilman Kwame Brown heads the powerful economic development committee and he is siding with Barry. Word is Chairman Vincent Gray is also lining up against Fenty.

Now, we've long been talking about the importance of doing the right things in Ward 8, and the fact that MacFarlane is getting some support from the local politicians helps matters. And they have been doing the legwork for a long time (see this post from 2005). I don't think a public fight is going to help the situation though. The stadium will have to go through a competitive bidding process. However, there's nothing to say that the recommendations of local representatives shouldn't be considered as part of that process.

ADDENDUM: Usually the problem in NIMBYism. This seems to be just the opposite. The local representatives want the deal, and the central government does not. What do you call that?

SECOND ADDENDUM: While I don't see much good coming out of a fight between the City Council and the Mayor's office, it is possible that this is just a shot across the bow. Now there may be behind-the-scenes meetings with Gray, Barry, Brown and Fenty. If nothing else, it will help define how bids for Poplar Point could be judged. And the terms of that debate are important. This also shows how important the work Kevin Payne and associated were doing two years ago was. You must be part of the community. The community needs to know it can trust you, and you need to sometimes trust the community. Heartwarming, in a strange way.

THIRD ADDENDUM: This is Kinney. I am just popping in to say that it looks like Brown might not be completely on board after all. Marion Barry and he "have some more talking to do."