Larry Brown #43 Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Not only is FedEx Field a monstrous, character-less eye sore that's stuck in the middle of nowhere, but it's also completely off-limits to pedestrians. How great was it when we could hop on the Metro and WALK to RFK?? The location of FedEx Field is not Snyder's fault...it was built before he bought the team. But he's certainly not doing his part to make the stadium more accessible to the fan. A stadium should be a part of the community, not some isolated, elitist studio removed from the public. RFK was part of DC. You can still walk past it and relive the memories. FedEx, on the other hand, has no connection to the community. And this policy doesn't help... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6380-2003Dec16.html Suit Takes On Redskins for Blocking Fans Drivers Who Use Free Mall Lot Can't Walk Straight to Stadium By Joshua Partlow and Raymond McCaffrey Washington Post Staff Writers Wednesday, December 17, 2003; Page B01 Through 40-plus years and three stadiums, Peggy Feltman has been a loyal Washington Redskins fan. She'll even give them the benefit of the doubt about the painful season coming to a close. "I think they had some bad breaks. There were some calls that went against them, but there wasn't anything they could do about it," said Feltman, who runs a ticket brokering business from her Silver Spring home. But today Feltman will line up against her favorite team in court, contesting a policy that restricts pedestrian access to games at FedEx Field. She said the rules keep fans from walking up Redskins Road, forcing them to park in distant cash lots and take shuttle buses to the game. Feltman is lead plaintiff in two lawsuits filed in Prince George's County Circuit Court that attack the policy from different flanks. The first, filed in December 2002 against Pro-Football Inc. and WFI Stadium Inc., the owner of FedEx Field, seeks class-action relief on behalf of ticket holders who are barred by metal barricades and security personnel from walking on public roads and sidewalks to the game, said Washington lawyer J.P. Szymkowicz, who represents Feltman. "It's a great inconvenience. It's denying me the choice to walk on a public sidewalk," Feltman said. "Everyone I've talked to is pretty upset about this. I'm just the one that's taken the initiative." The second suit, filed in September, claims that the pedestrian policy should be voided because it is the product of a private meeting of team, stadium and county officials, in violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act. Judge Sheila Tillerson-Adams is scheduled to hear the second case today. The Redskins contend that they do not want to impede fans or do anything that would make their game experience unpleasant. The team says it provides more parking than any other in the league: 25,000 close-in spots for season ticket holders and 5,800 in cash lots farther away. Redskins spokeswoman Michelle Tessier said the team has "gotten a lot of positive response" to the parking plan, which she said "allows people to get in and out more easily." Stadium officials said the restrictions on foot traffic up Redskins Road, which began in October 2000, are for public safety. It's dangerous, officials said, for fans to cross the busy intersection at Brightseat Road to get to the game. But Szymkowicz said that no evidence of safety problems has been offered and that the Redskins just want to prevent fans from using free parking at nearby Landover Mall and herd them into $25 pay parking sites away from the stadium. "Also, they only close [Redskins Road] going to the stadium, they don't close it coming out [after the game]. If it were a public safety issue, it would be closed both ways," Szymkowicz said. The decision to restrict pedestrian access before this season was made during an Aug. 5 meeting of the "coordinating group," a public body created in 1996 that includes Prince George's County Chief Administrative Officer Jacqueline Brown, county police representatives and Redskins officials, according to court documents. The group did not make the meeting public or take public comment before making the decision, the lawsuit said. The coordinating group responded that the decision to restrict pedestrian access was an "executive function" of the public body, rather than a "legislative function," and therefore did not require public scrutiny, according to court documents submitted by Jay H. Creech of the Prince George's County attorney's office. An executive function, according to state law, applies to meetings at which elected officials are not developing "a new policy." Szymkowicz said restricting access was a legislative function. "We're claiming they carried out a legislative function because legislators change rules," he said. William Varga, an assistant attorney general for Maryland, said " 'executive function' is probably the most confusing part of the Open Meeting Act. . . . If they're making new policy . . . it cannot be an executive function." Besides being an inconvenience, Feltman said, the restrictions on pedestrians also damage her business. She said the extra expense of paying for parking discourages people from attending games and buying her tickets. Last year, the first time Feltman tried to walk up Redskins Road and was rebuffed by security, she said she was so upset she walked back to her car and skipped the game. "It's actually taken all the fun out of going to the games," she said. 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Craig Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 I hope the fan wins. The official stance by the Redskins that this was done for fan safety is a joke. We all know it is just another way Snyder and Co. can line their pockets with more $$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter's Better Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Originally posted by Craig I hope the fan wins. The official stance by the Redskins that this was done for fan safety is a joke. We all know it is just another way Snyder and Co. can line their pockets with more $$$. Amen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsofwashington Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 We all know that the real problem with the parking lots is. THEY ARE TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE! The cash lot is $25 dollars! The parking close to the stadium is even more money. They need to lower those prices in order to keep us happy. At GIANTS Stadium its $15 bucks and yu can park wherever the hell you want. First come first server. No damn rainbow parking assignments or any of that jazz. Just pay and park. I don't think that woman has a prayer in her lawsuit, but I am not a lawyer. GOOD LUCK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Washington Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 this is maryland folks! the way people drive peds will be getting run over or holding up traffic by walking in 20 people wide groups in the middle of the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 It used to be pay and park, first come, first served, at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium too. The season opener in '99 ruined all that. People tried to show up at 12:00 and you just can't do that when 86,000 people are trying to get in the same place. The Redskins could do themselves favors by attending some larger scale NASCAR events. Look at traffic in Bristol. They move 150,000 plus people in and out of there and do it pretty smoothly. Face it people, when that many people converge on one spot, nothing will be "fast." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aREDSKIN Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Originally posted by Larry Brown #43 Not only is FedEx Field a monstrous, character-less eye sore that's stuck in the middle of nowhere, but it's also completely off-limits to pedestrians. How great was it when we could hop on the Metro and WALK to RFK?? The location of FedEx Field is not Snyder's fault...it was built before he bought the team. But he's certainly not doing his part to make the stadium more accessible to the fan. A stadium should be a part of the community, not some isolated, elitist studio removed from the public. RFK was part of DC. You can still walk past it and relive the memories. FedEx, on the other hand, has no connection to the community. And this policy doesn't help... LB- I'm not sure your old enough to realize this but Jack Kent Cooke expended alot & I mean a lot of money,energy, blood, sweat & probably tears trying to build a stadium in DC. The powers that be at that time in DC prevented his moves. Additionally, the same types of people in No VA. put up the same roadblocks to Cookes ambitions. Many in the public had the NIMBY syndrome and he finally (before his death) decided on the MD location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief skin Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Originally posted by gridironmike It used to be pay and park, first come, first served, at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium too. The season opener in '99 ruined all that. People tried to show up at 12:00 and you just can't do that when 86,000 people are trying to get in the same place. The Redskins could do themselves favors by attending some larger scale NASCAR events. Look at traffic in Bristol. They move 150,000 plus people in and out of there and do it pretty smoothly. Face it people, when that many people converge on one spot, nothing will be "fast." Snyder, changed the parking, that rich greedy motherphucking loser. The real fans got ther at 9:00 and started tailgating. Snyders phucking friends want to drop in at 12;00 12;30. I hate Snyder he has ruined this franchise from top to bottom. My brother refused to go to any more of his games once he phucked with the parking and with the product on the field I am temptefd to get rid of the tix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancalagon the Black Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 The judge ruled in favor of the fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Brown #43 Posted December 18, 2003 Author Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by aREDSKIN LB- I'm not sure your old enough to realize this but Jack Kent Cooke expended alot & I mean a lot of money,energy, blood, sweat & probably tears trying to build a stadium in DC. The powers that be at that time in DC prevented his moves. Additionally, the same types of people in No VA. put up the same roadblocks to Cookes ambitions. Many in the public had the NIMBY syndrome and he finally (before his death) decided on the MD location. Hey fool, Not old enough?? I'm 28...believe it or not I actually do recall things that happened a mere 6 years ago. I know the whole history of how hard JKC tried to put the stadium in DC, and how Sharon Pratt Kelly blocked him. Read my post again...the stadium is what it is...I didn't blame Cooke...I blame Snyder for not doing what he can to make the stadium more accessible to the fans. In my original post, I said: "The location of FedEx Field is not Snyder's fault...it was built before he bought the team. But he's certainly not doing his part to make the stadium more accessible to the fan." This was not intended to be a slight against Cooke...if anything it's directed at the people who forced him to put the stadium where it is, and a slap at Snyder for not doing more to make the stadium more accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 There is a new metro stop which is going in right at Summerfield Blvd. I am sure that Snyder had SOMETHING to do with pushing for that metro stop. While it will be somewhat of a walk, it will allow much easier walking access to the stadium than even the parkinglots at the mall... For this Snyder deserves props. He doesnt make any money on this, and all it does is help decrease traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by Ancalagon the Black The judge ruled in favor of the fans. Do you have a link? Yeah Blade, I'm sure Snyder would like a Metro stop close by too. If you've ever watched 150,000+ converge on Lowes Motor Speedway or Bristol Motor Speedway, the Redskins argument that it is unsafe is ridiculous. Even better, you can take your own cooler full of beverages (beer or soda..cans only) AND another clear (or see through) bag in to any race. The cooler has to be a certain size and the bag has to be a certain size, but this is all post-9/11 policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aREDSKIN Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by Larry Brown #43 Hey fool, Not old enough?? I'm 28...believe it or not I actually do recall things that happened a mere 6 years ago. I know the whole history of how hard JKC tried to put the stadium in DC, and how Sharon Pratt Kelly blocked him. Read my post again...the stadium is what it is...I didn't blame Cooke...I blame Snyder for not doing what he can to make the stadium more accessible to the fans. In my original post, I said: "The location of FedEx Field is not Snyder's fault...it was built before he bought the team. But he's certainly not doing his part to make the stadium more accessible to the fan." This was not intended to be a slight against Cooke...if anything it's directed at the people who forced him to put the stadium where it is, and a slap at Snyder for not doing more to make the stadium more accessible. Given you age I'll leave the youthful exhuberence aside but I was referring to the in the Walter Fauntroy, Marion Barry eras's. At 28 those names might not mean anything to you but SPK was just continuing the same obstructionist policies they intially utilized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Brown #43 Posted December 18, 2003 Author Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by aREDSKIN Given you age I'll leave the youthful exhuberence aside but I was referring to the in the Walter Fauntroy, Marion Barry eras's. At 28 those names might not mean anything to you but SPK was just continuing the same obstructionist policies they intially utilized. I'm plenty familiar with both Fauntroy and Barry, but that's beside the point. Clearly, you completely missed the point of my original post altogether. I'm one of the biggest JKC supporters there is. My point was, and still is, that Snyder is "not doing his part to make the stadium more accessible to the fan." I don't like the location of the stadium, but I never once blamed that on JKC. My point is that Snyder needs to do what he can to make the stadium more accessible. The fact that you resorted to making a condescending remark about my age and defending JKC reflects that you missed my point altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Parking is over 40 dollars for Patriot games so don't complain, however I hope the fans win this one also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by Ancalagon the Black The judge ruled in favor of the fans. From the WP: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9810-2003Dec17.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 The arguement here is over having to take the shuttle, does it cost money to ride the shuttle or is it free?? If you are pretty buzzed before the game why would you want to walk anyway??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 It smells funny that somehow there was no pedestrian safety issue on any of the roads leading from pay parking. The only road where there was a supposed safety issue leads to a closed shopping center with free parking. And the road has full sidewalks all the way to the stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by jbooma The arguement here is over having to take the shuttle, does it cost money to ride the shuttle or is it free?? If you are pretty buzzed before the game why would you want to walk anyway??? People want to walk because they can save 25 bucks not having to pay for parking, and because they paid for the sidewalks they're being banned from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Face it folks, the undoing of the cash lots at the Cap center really screwed this whole thing up. The whole thing with having to remember which Effing bus you got off of is a total pain in the A$$. Last year there was a cash lot pretty close to the stadium. Unfortunately Snyder and his band of money grubbing minions turned into a "Blue" parking pass lot. I remember partying with a bunch of firemen from Fairfax many times in this former cash lot. These boys definately knew how to tailgate. RV and the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, that experience is gone, and I have no idea where these guys are now. This is just another example of the ruining of the game experience by the current ownership. :no: :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by rdsknbill Last year there was a cash lot pretty close to the stadium. Unfortunately Snyder and his band of money grubbing minions turned into a "Blue" parking pass lot. I remember partying with a bunch of firemen from Fairfax many times in this former cash lot. Rdsknbll, was that the unpaved lot across Arena Drive from the church? That was a great tailgate lot. You didn't have to set up on blacktop, parking spaces weren't lined so you weren't crammed in so much, the stadium was still in visual view as a backdrop to the tailgate, not so long a walk to the game, etc. Reminded me of tailgating at RFK a little bit. . . Good while it lasted. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathByLinebacker Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Honestly, I don't know how y'all put up with Snyder's crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 I'll add the content of the article for future reference...... Judge Backs Fans in a Walk Redskins Can't Block Pedestrian Access to Games, Court Says By Joshua Partlow and Raymond McCaffrey Washington Post Staff Writers Thursday, December 18, 2003; Page B01 A Prince George's County judge yesterday invalidated a policy that restricts pedestrian access to FedEx Field during Redskins games, saying it was adopted illegally without the public's knowledge. Circuit Court Judge Sheila Tillerson-Adams ruled in favor of football fans who sued to overturn the county policy, though it is unclear whether her decision will force officials to open Redskins Road to foot traffic in time for this season's final home game. A county lawyer asked her to keep the road off-limits for the Dec. 27 game against the Philadelphia Eagles because there is not enough time to adopt new procedures for pedestrian safety. The judge is scheduled to decide on that request Monday. After hearing arguments yesterday morning, Tillerson-Adams determined that a FedEx Field "coordinating group" made up of county, Redskins, stadium and citizen representatives violated Maryland's Open Meetings Act when it approved the policy in August without giving public notice. The Prince George's County Council created the coordinating group in 1996 to monitor public safety, traffic and parking issues at the stadium in Landover. Season ticket holders who buy permits to park in lots adjacent to the stadium were unaffected by the Prince George's policy, but others complained that it forced them to park at distant lots that charge $25 and then ride shuttle buses. Some fans unaware of the rule -- or determined to thwart it -- tried to park at nearby Landover Mall and walk to the stadium. But they encountered metal barricades and FedEx Field security guards who turned them away. In the resulting confusion, some resorted to hitchhiking into the stadium or waving down taxis. Their other option was to walk about two miles to an entrance on Arena Drive. "I think this is a victory for all Redskins fans, because it opens up the passageway to the stadium. It frees up the hassle," said Peggy Feltman, a season ticket holder and lead plaintiff in the two lawsuits that challenged the policy. Feltman, who describes herself as a Redskins fan for more than 40 years, runs a ticket-brokering business from her Silver Spring home. Jay Creech, a Prince George's lawyer who represented the coordinating group, said county officials had not decided yesterday whether to appeal the ruling or seek alternatives to having fans walk along congested Redskins Road. Team spokesman Karl Swanson said the ruling does not change the fact that "public safety issues still exist." During the hearing, Creech did not contest that the coordinating group's Aug. 5 decision was made in private, but he argued that it was legal because the panel was "administering the law, not legislating." Closing the road was an executive rather than legislative action and did not require public scrutiny, Creech said. State law says an executive function applies to meetings at which elected officials are not developing a new policy. Pedestrian restrictions have been enforced on Redskins Road since October 2000, but the policy was adopted for this season in August. "This wasn't a devious plan," Creech said. "The coordinating group was going through the procedure it understood." But Tillerson-Adams ruled that creating the policy was a legislative function requiring public notice. When there is a meeting to decide to close a road, she said, "then there's another ordinance that governs that." She said she did not believe the violation of the state's 1993 Open Meetings Act was willful. Parking and access issues have been a frequent source of public discussion this season. The Redskins say they provide plenty of parking: 25,000 spots for season-ticket permit holders near the stadium and 5,800 spaces in cash lots farther away. But fans who lack season permits say they should have a right to park free of charge in nearby Landover Mall and walk to the game, rather than pay $25 for off-site stadium parking. Feltman is also the lead plaintiff in a separate lawsuit against the Redskins (operating as Pro-Football Inc.) and WFI Stadium Inc., the owner of FedEx Field, seeking class-action relief on behalf of ticket holders barred from Redskins Road. That case has yet to go before a judge, said Feltman's attorney, J.P. Szymkowicz. "The Redskins took away parking options and thus were able to raise the price of parking at the stadium and leased lots," Szymkowicz said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Originally posted by Dan T. Rdsknbll, was that the unpaved lot across Arena Drive from the church? That was a great tailgate lot. You didn't have to set up on blacktop, parking spaces weren't lined so you weren't crammed in so much, the stadium was still in visual view as a backdrop to the tailgate, not so long a walk to the game, etc. Reminded me of tailgating at RFK a little bit. . . Good while it lasted. . . Yes Dan, That was it. We'd get there early, get up there by the corner , party, watch the firemen drink beers on top if their RV. I think that the Church lot is also a blue lot So sad :cry: :mad: :hammer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Even the Reverend Peebles Baptist Church has turned to the Dark Side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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