Is D.C. United finally (finally!) close to a stadium breakthrough?

Time to repeat our First Rule Of Stadium Development, one that gets a lot of usage around here:

“Alert me when a shovel goes in the ground. Until then … always put me down as ‘reluctantly pessimistic.’ ”

That said, The Washington Post’s Steven Goff says D.C. United officials are inching their way to the facility promised land. In a report today, Goff says the club appears close to dotting and crossing on Buzzard Point.

United and New England are the stadium holdouts. Every other club now has a stadium situation that qualifies as “pretty good” at worst. Most are now leaning closer to “just peachy.”

United has been stuck at decrepit RFK Stadium (pictured). While historic, it’s a huge money drain. Most MLS teams have now positioned themselves to create revenue through various stadium streams. Meanwhile, United remains stuck in the renter zone, still paying to lease the facility and missing opportunity after opportunity to make the stadium work for them in ways most clubs now can.

New capital and some savvy politicking have helped the club finally make the big break through.