Gov. Larry Hogan hosted four members of Maryland's congressional delegation at the State House Monday for a strategy session on how to persuade the FBI to move its headquarters to Prince George's County.
U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski described the meeting as a frank assessment of the strengths of Maryland's proposal and said she was confident they could make a strong pitch.
She declined to give details on their plan, saying only that each person in the room brought the best they had to offer to the table.
"Everyone's acting like the Marines," she said.
Minority Whip Steny Hoyer described "high enthusiasm" and said he thought the state could pitch Maryland as "the best site from every perspective."
U.S. Sen Ben Cardin, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards and Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker also attended the meeting.
Maryland is competing with Virginia for the new FBI complex, which would bring with it an estimated 11,000 employees and more than $180 million in tax revenue from local businesses when the FBI leaves behind the storied 40-year-old J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington.
Officials have backed a spot near the Greenbelt Metro station for the project, and a private developer has proposed a site in Landover. The General Services Administration, which manages real estate for the federal government, picked those sites and a third in Springfield, Va., as finalists for the modern FBI headquarters.
Maryland's officials have lobbied the federal government for more than a year to pick a spot in Prince George's County.
Hogan, a Republican, also declined to tip his hand on the strategy developed with the four other top Maryland Democrats Monday.
"We're making sure we have a united front," Hogan said. "We think we're in terriffic shape."