New FBI headquarters to be built in Prince George's County

BALTIMORE -- Greenbelt, Maryland, has been chosen as the location for the new FBI headquarters, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

This comes after an ongoing debate for the past 15 years on whether the headquarters should be located in Maryland or Virginia.

"GSA determined Greenbelt to be the best site because it was the lowest cost to taxpayers, provided the greatest transportation access to FBI employees and visitors, and gave the government the most certainty on project delivery schedule. It also provided the highest potential to advance sustainability and equity," according to a statement from a GSA spokesperson.

Team Maryland, which is made up of members of Maryland's federal, state, and local governments, such as Gov. Wes Moore and Rep. Steny Hoyer, released a statement praising the GSA for their decision.

"We agree with the GSA's determination that based on merit the Greenbelt site is best suited to serve the present and future FBI and the dedicated public servants who work tirelessly to protect America and uphold the law," Team Maryland wrote in its statement. "Considering cost to the taxpayer, equity, construction timeline, transportation access, and the FBI's mission requirements, we have long believed that Greenbelt is the best site for this crucial facility."

"Team Maryland has worked tirelessly to deliver this result together," the statement continued. "Our close cooperation will continue as we break ground on this new headquarters and tackle other pressing issues facing Marylanders. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the FBI has the best possible headquarters in the quickest timeframe so that we can facilitate a smooth transition to Prince George's County. We look forward to building a strong, productive partnership with the Bureau and its staff."

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman congratulated Hoyer, Moore and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for acquiring the national headquarters.

Meanwhile, Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released a joint statement on their disappointment that Virginia was not chosen to house the new headquarters.

"We're deeply disappointed that despite the clear case that Virginia is the best home for the FBI, the Administration went a different direction," the senators wrote.

"GSA looks forward to building the FBI a state-of-the-art headquarters campus in Greenbelt to advance their critical mission for years to come. Thank you to everyone at GSA, DOJ, FBI, Congress, and others who helped reach this important milestone after a comprehensive, multi-year effort," said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan in a statement.

This is a developing story. Stay with WJZ CBS Baltimore for the latest updates.

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