The Metro Board is pulling plans to sell naming rights to a future Silver Line station off its Thursday agenda after strong pushback from Fairfax County, Virginia.
The resolution would have allowed Metro staff to finalize a naming rights deal with a multinational company planning a headquarters in the area of the Innovation Center Station.
Fairfax County’s supervisors were surprised to learn of the plan though, and slammed Metro for a lack of communication and coordination.
Fairfax County and Metro agreed on the “Innovation Center” name years ago after a lengthy process. The county hoped the name would boost development around the station.
The stop is adjacent to the Center for Innovative Technology site, just east of Route 28 near the Loudoun County border. It will be one stop from Dulles International Airport, when the Silver Line extension to Ashburn opens next year.
Metro could still raise the issue of naming rights at the station in the future if there is better coordination with local officials.
The agency is also looking into a broader naming rights policy that could permit similar sponsorship deals for stations, office buildings or rail lines across the system.
