The D.C. Council voted to approve growth of the RFK Stadium website, which is step one towards the Washington Commanders constructing a brand new stadium within the metropolis.
A second studying of the proposal to redevelop the RFK stadium campus and subsequent vote on the challenge will happen on Sept. 17. If the plan passes that second vote, it will then go to D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser for approval, .
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Bowser has advocated for a brand new stadium for the Commanders , so her endorsement is anticipated. The intention is to have the stadium prepared for the 2030 NFL season.
The $3.7 billion deal would result in the constructing of a covered-roof stadium that seats roughly 65,000 for Commanders sport. The challenge additionally contains mixed-use industrial growth, inexperienced area and parking surrounding the stadium. Below the proposal, the Commanders would cowl roughly $2.5 billion of the challenge’s price, whereas the district would pay the remaining $1.15 billion.
Demolition of Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Memorial Stadium in Washington D.C. started in 2025 and a brand new stadium and surrounding growth is anticipated to be constructed on the positioning. (Photograph by Kevin Carter/Getty Photos)
(Kevin Carter by way of Getty Photos)
Calling for D.C. taxpayers to cowl greater than $1 billion of the event’s price has stoked contentious debate amongst residents and native politicians, whereas Bowser has argued {that a} new stadium and surrounding growth would supply financial alternative for the district.
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New stadium tasks in Nashville and Buffalo referred to as for $1.26 billion and $850 million in public funding, respectively.
The RFK deal has undergone a number of modifications since initially proposed in April, together with the Commanders protecting price overruns which might be anticipated to happen with tariffs rising the price of provides on the planet economic system. The workforce additionally reached to work on the event, which was a key issue within the D.C. Council passing the primary vote. Moreover, the Commanders dedicated to transferring their enterprise workplaces again to the town from Maryland.
Beforehand, the Commanders’ stadium deal and transfer again to D.C. if the workforce didn’t agree to alter its identify again to the Redskins, which it moved on from in 2020.
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The Commanders beforehand performed on the unique RFK Stadium from 1961-96 earlier than transferring to Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. Opened in 1961, the stadium hosted NFL video games, school soccer, MLS video games, Main League Baseball and World Cup soccer. Moreover, boxing matches, auto and biking races, and live shows had been among the many occasions held on the stadium.
The final occasion to be held within the stadium was an MLS match between D.C. United and the New York Purple Bulls in 2017.