September 23, 2004
Redskins fans seek to vote with feet
How does a sports team owner manage to pay three-quarters of the cost of a new stadium and still turn a handsome profit? A government-sanctioned monopoly on parking spaces is a nice start. Ever since the Washington Redskins' FedEx Field opened in 1997, fans have avoided the team's $25-a-car parking fees by parking at the nearby Landover Mall, and walking to the stadium. This June, however, Prince George's County transportation director Dale G. Coppage, citing "public safety" concerns, ordered all sidewalks leading into the stadium closed to pedestrians on game days, effectively forcing all fans to use the Redskins parking lots. A group of fans has appealed to the county to reverse the ruling; if their request is denied, they may file a lawsuit.
