Coming to your state
Who approved $215 million in bonds for the Sphere in Prince George's?
On October 27, the Prince George's County Council voted 8 to 0 to authorize up to $215 million in special obligation bonds for a 6,000 seat Sphere venue at National Harbor. The county would build a $40 million parking garage and provide up to $130 million in bond financing, repaid from taxes the venue generates once built. County Executive Aisha Braveboy says it will bring in tax revenue the county now loses; a Fort Washington resident told the council the job figures are overstated. (WJLA, October 27, 2026)
Your numbers
About 91,000 Black Marylanders said they were registered but did not vote in 2024, compared with about 51,000 in 2020. (Census Bureau survey estimate)
Who pays
Bonds issued by the county, which Sphere repays over time, with part repaid from taxes the venue produces. Residents weigh the promised revenue and jobs against the county's risk; SourceLine takes no side.
Who decides
The Prince George's County Council, with County Executive Braveboy. More approvals are still needed.
What is coming to Maryland
When SourceLine is complete here, you will see every County Council vote, by name, at your address.
Read the WJLA story · The story and its reporting belong to the outlet that published it. Survey figures are estimates with wider ranges in smaller states.
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Stories for Maryland
Told with Maryland’s own numbers. Open one to go down to your county, city and address.
- 69,000 Black men lost federal jobs. Why didn't anyone count them?About 69,000 fewer Black men work federal jobs than in 2024. Their count beside Black women, where it hit hardest, and who can act.Read the story ›
- Black voters moved in 2026. What did it win, and what comes next?A record 124 million voted. About 9 in 10 Black voters backed House Democrats, and five Black governors won. State by state, and what comes next.Read the story ›
- How do we raise Black children's reading, state by state?In New Jersey 1 in 4 Black fourth graders read at Proficient; nationwide it is 1 in 6. Where reading is rising, who decides, and what you can do.Read the story ›
Sources are named in each story: Census Bureau business surveys, Bureau of Economic Analysis, USAspending.gov, USDA, and state records. Benefits and federal awards are separate measures and are never added together. Every story ›
Reported in Black newspapers in Maryland
No recent reporting from Black newspapers in Maryland is on file yet.