Maryland Leaders Press for FBI Headquarters

Maryland leaders are pitting the state against Virginia as the new headquarters for the FBI.

The Washington Business Journal reports that Maryland's leaders want the $2 billion building housing 11,000 employees somewhere in the state, with momentum swinging toward Prince George's County.

Lerner Enterprises wants to construct the building at Landover Mall. Former U.S. Sen. Joe Tydings, representing the Lerners, sat in the front row Monday as leaders touted Maryland as the preferred location, the Journal reported.

“I don’t think the county knew when this started that Landover Mall was available,” Tydings said. “Now that they know Landover is available, I think they’re in support of Prince George’s County.”

Speaker after speaker — Gov. Martin O'Malley, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer and Donna Edwards, County Council President Mel Franklin — all came out in favor of Prince George's, the Journal reported.

The GSA is currently reviewing the FBI headquarters proposals received in December. Sometime in late spring, the agency is expected to finalize a short list of submissions, with a final decision still at least a year away.

Virginia is supporting a bid to redevelop the GSA warehouse adjacent to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station.