DC May Use Eminent Domain to Build Soccer Stadium

Paid for partly by tax dollars, of course

A top District official reiterated Wednesday that the city is prepared to seize land in court to build a new soccer stadium after questions emerged over the ownership of a key plot needed for the project backed by Mayor Vincent C. Gray and D.C. United's owners.

City Administrator Allen Y. Lew said the District was ready to exercise eminent domain should it be unable to come to terms with the current owners of the proposed site. "That's always out there, that the mayor has the power to do that," he said at a news conference Wednesday. "We'd like to work this out in an amicable way."