Representatives of the Baltimore-DC building trades testified in mid-November before the D.C. Council in favor of the $515 million “Downtown Arena Revitalization Act of 2024.” The legislation enables the District to buy and renovate Capital One Arena.
“We are excited to do our part to rebuild the arena,” testified Greg Akerman, president of the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council (BDCBT), “so it can be an enhanced customer experience and be a driver of economic growth in downtown D.C.”
The D.C. Council voted unanimously later in November to approve the legislation.
Area building trades have negotiated a project labor agreement (PLA) for the project with Clark Construction, the contractor for the arena renovations. The PLA is a comprehensive pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that sets the basic terms and conditions of employment for the entire construction project. Arena concession workers will remain covered by collective bargaining agreements with UNITE HERE.
Akerman told D.C. councilmembers that BDCBT affiliates create “quality jobs with pensions and health care for local residents” and spend over $30 million of their own money each year on apprenticeship training.
“Our unions all have excellent apprenticeship programs that actively recruit and include D.C. residents,” he testified. “I’m especially proud that we have committed in this agreement to exceed the First Source requirements that will be set out for this project.”
D.C.’s First Source program ensures that city residents are given priority for new jobs created by municipal financing and development programs.
Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council President Greg Akerman testifies before the D.C. Council.
Our unions all have excellent apprenticeship programs that actively recruit and include D.C. residents.”
Greg Akerman
President
Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council
“This is exciting,” testified IBEW Local 26 Business Manager Cordelia Evans. She described for the council how her local has partnered with the District Department of Energy and the Environment to establish a 12-month electrical pre-apprenticeship program called the “Green Trades DC program.”
“It recruits and trains residents ages 18 and over to prepare them for careers as journey level electricians,” said Evans, adding that the program provides a combination of classroom learning and on-the-job training with more than 180 union signatory contractors.
The D.C. Council legislation stipulates that the District will lease the arena back to its current owner, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, through 2050. Monumental is set to invest an additional $285 million in the project.
Akerman said the building trades also look forward to collaborating with the District’s Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) community to “ensure that this project continues to build wealth here at home.”
“This PLA provides a roadmap to bolster CBE participation and meet and exceed all requirements and goals set out by the District,” testified Akerman. “This plan includes smaller bid packages not subject to the agreement to ensure the participation of small business enterprises.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Monumental Sports and Entertainment Owner Ted Leonsis ceremonially broke ground on the renovations the week before Christmas 2024. The project is expected to be completed for the 2027-2028 NBA and NHL seasons.
IBEW Local 26 Business Manager Cordelia Evans testifies before the D.C. Council.