By CAITLIN MURRAY
The District of Columbia property that serves as a key piece in a pending land swap to build a new D.C. United stadium was up for debate at an open forum Wednesday night – and complaints from area residents could complicate the deal.
Residents along the U Street corridor where the city-owned Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center sits said when private developers take over the site, they want it to bring office space and daytime foot traffic rather than luxury apartments, which would be the most valuable use.
With a deal to be brought to D.C.’s city council Friday, a change in the value of the Reeves Center location or an inclination by the council to limit how the property can be developed could add uncertainty.
The silver lining may be that residents did not object to the swap plan or the Reeves Center being turned over to private entities. For the deal to move forward, however, private businesses will need to see value in taking over the land.
Here are more notes from around the league:
VALETIN OPTS TO REMAIN IN NORWAY, WILL NOT PLAY FOR IMPACT NEXT YEAR
Defender Zarek Valentin will not return to the Montreal Impact in 2014, the club announced Thursday. Instead, he will head back to FK Bodø/Glimt in Norway, where he signed a new contract.
The Impact said they had “lengthy discussions with Valetin” but “were unable to reach an agreement.” They will retain Valentin’s rights if he returns to MLS.
The American had been loaned to the Norwegian second division club in March, helping Bodø break into the country’s top flight Tippeligaen division. In his first season in Norway, he made 27 appearances for a total of 2,363 minutes of play.
Valentin, 22, was the fourth overall draft pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. After a season with Chivas USA, he was selected by Montreal in the 2012 MLS Expansion Draft.
VALDES LOOKS TO GET OUT OF MLS AND STAY OVERSEAS
Carlos Valdes doesn’t plan to return to MLS next season despite the Philadelphia Union having exercised an option to keep the defender, who no longer has a club to play for in Colombia, his agent said Wednesday.
Valdes had been released by Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia’s top division last week, but the national team defender will not return to the Philadelphia Union for the first half of 2014, agent Ricardo Pachon said.
Valdes is considering offers from clubs in Russia and Argentina, Pachon said. But the agent added that Valdes is trying to work out a deal to remain in Colombia, even though the Union want to bring him back to MLS next season.
Valdes was an anchor for the Union defense during his time at the club, making the MLS All-Star squad in 2012 before going to Santa Fe on loan this year to secure a spot on the Colombian national team.
RED BULLS STAFF TAKES NOTE FROM PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS
Part of the New York Red Bulls’ staff is in England hoping to learn a bit from some of soccer’s best.
Head coach Mike Petke and sporting director Andy Roxburgh are making the rounds overseas, having met with managers for Arsenal, West Ham United, and Chelsea.
The Red Bulls’ management had said the trip was part of an offseason plan aimed at “refreshing” their ideas for the 2014 season.
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What do you think of this news? Will D.C.’s government be able to make the complicated stadium deal work? Do you think Valdes can work out a deal with the Union?
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