“Fight for old D.C.” never had quite the same zing while being sung in suburban Landover, but the Washington Commanders and D.C. leaders are betting $3.7 billion that a new stadium on the banks of the Anacostia River will breathe new life into the song, the NFL franchise and the city itself.
The Commanders on Monday outlined a $3.7 billion deal with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to build a glitzy 65,000-capacity, roofed stadium that officials say could open in fall 2030 on the site of the old RFK Stadium, which the team left in 1996, pending approval by the D.C. Council.
The public-private partnership includes $2.7 billion from the Commanders for stadium construction. The District would contribute $681 million to support construction and parking garages.
Ms. Bowser’s administration said transportation and infrastructure investments would cost taxpayers more than $1 billion by 2032.
Commanders owner Josh Harris called the deal a return to the franchise’s spiritual home for players and fans.
“RFK Stadium holds a legendary place in our history. It’s where the team dominated the NFL, capturing three Super Bowls and creating unforgettable memories for fans,” Mr. Harris said at a press conference to announce the deal with Ms. Bowser and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “RFK was once a place our fans loved and opponents feared. We’re determined to make it that way again.”
Ms. Bowser has long supported plans to return the team to the nation’s capital. The announcement Monday was the culmination of years of public lobbying.
“We said that we could do it all — Commanders, housing, park space, recreation, retail entertainment and more — and together, that’s what we are delivering,” Ms. Bowser said. “When we got control of 180 acres of land on the banks of the Anacostia, we knew right away that partnering with the Commanders would be the fastest and surest route to bringing the RFK campus to life.”
Ms. Bowser’s plan also features an $89 million sportsplex on the site to provide track, field and gymnastics facilities for D.C. residents. The popular “Fields at RFK” would be preserved.
The stadium would take up 11% of the land, with additional space for 5,000 housing units, commercial opportunities and park space.
The District would spend $500 million on construction and $181 million to build parking garages. City officials expect about 8,000 parking spaces, mirroring the old layout. The new parking spaces would be primarily in aboveground garages instead of expansive lots.
Several parking spaces would be set aside for tailgating, Commanders officials said.
Any deal must be approved by the D.C. Council, which may be an uphill battle.
Council chairman Phil Mendelson has long said he wants no public dollars to go toward a potential stadium project, especially if its use is limited to a few weekends each year.
He said during an appearance Monday on local sports radio station 106.7 the Fan that he has yet to see the fine print on the deal Ms. Bowser made.
“If this was before the council today, they would not go for it,” he told hosts Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on their afternoon show.
Officials with the Bowser administration said they plan to be as transparent as possible, reasoning that this should convince any skeptics.
The plans would create 14,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs at the stadium and neighboring facilities. Over the initial 30-year lease, representatives from the mayor’s office said they expect $4 billion in tax revenue and $15.6 billion in direct spending.
Ms. Bowser would request an additional $202 million in infrastructure spending to improve roadways and study the viability of the Stadium-Armory Metro Station.
The city’s total investment in the stadium and the surrounding housing, recreation and infrastructure improvements is estimated to top $1 billion.
“It will be clear that this is a good deal for D.C., a fantastic deal,” Ms. Bowser said. “It’s a win-win-win for the city, the team and the fans.”
Officials said taxpayers would finance about 24% of the new stadium. In comparison, taxpayers in Nashville, Tennessee, are covering 60% of the cost for a new Titans stadium.
The bulk of the District’s initial investment of $500 million would come from the city’s Sports Facilities Fund, formerly known as the Ballpark Fee. Revenue from Nationals Park will limit the funds used in the city’s budget.
Over the years, the mayor’s plan for the site has featured a mixed-use development. Her vision includes affordable housing, parking garages and hotels. The popular “Fields at RFK,” recreational fields along the Anacostia River, would be preserved alongside any new construction.
Representatives from the Commanders and the mayor’s office said they expect to host 20 major events yearly. Half of those would be Commanders’ home games. The other half is to be determined but could feature big-ticket events such as the Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, or concerts from A-list performers such as Beyonce and Taylor Swift.
Organizers expect 1.4 million visitors to the stadium annually, thanks to the major concerts and games, with an additional 100 activations.
The NFL hasn’t committed to hosting a major event such as the draft or Super Bowl in the District. A shiny new stadium wouldn’t hurt the city’s chances, though. The Commanders’ new home would have some kind of roof. The team said it is considering fixed and retractable options.
“This world-class stadium will not only be an exciting site for NFL games and events in an iconic location, but it will also be a community asset and an economic driver,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.
Mr. Goodell said confirming a Super Bowl in the District wasn’t the reason for his visit, but the new stadium did help that proposition “dramatically.”
The city’s budget problems present complications. Federal lawmakers cut $1 billion from the District’s budget in the middle of the fiscal year, forcing Ms. Bowser to revamp her budget proposal for fiscal 2026, which she hasn’t released yet.
The mayor said the diminished budget and recent federal layoffs are reasons to support the deal, not cancel it.
“Our job is to replace economic activity for 40,000 people,” Ms. Bowser said, referring to the layoffs. “If you need to add revenue, as we do, you can’t leave 180 acres vacant. If you need to add jobs, as we do, you cannot wait for an anchor to show up and start developing.”
A last-minute legislative adjustment in December gave the District a 99-year lease for the 180-acre site, which still hosts the decaying RFK Stadium. The Commanders, then known as the Redskins, played their home games at the venue from 1961 through 1996.
A proposed lease would keep the Commanders in the District for at least 30 years. The franchise and the city could opt into five-year renewals for 20 years.
The team’s owners are responsible for developing hotels and commercial sites on the land. They would be tied to the commercial plaza for at least 60 years with 10-year renewal options that could extend for 30 years.
The mayor’s office timeline relies on the D.C. Council’s approval of the deal this summer. The remainder of the year would be dedicated to planning for housing, parks and recreation initiatives.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium is tentatively scheduled for the end of 2026. Construction on the plaza would begin in early 2029 and be completed in 2030.
Mr. Harris has said he hopes to open a new stadium before the 2030 season. The Commanders’ lease at their current home — Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland — expires in 2027. However, the franchise owns the stadium and can easily extend the lease while it builds a new venue.
Maryland officials, who had urged the team to build a new home near its stadium in Landover, said Monday’s announcement was not unexpected.
Prince George’s County Council Chair Edward Burroughs III told The Washington Times that while he was “disappointed” by the announcement, “we also began to put plans in place in the event the team chose to leave.”
“Our revitalization plans for the Blue Line Corridor will proceed without the stadium, and I believe what’s to come might actually be more uplifting and beneficial for residents,” he said.
Northwest Stadium is widely considered one of the least fan- and player-friendly venues in the NFL. Critics point out its lack of character, aging infrastructure and inconvenient location about 1 mile from the nearest Metro station.
Mr. Harris inherited the stadium from Dan Snyder, from whom he bought the Commanders in 2023. The ownership group has spent millions of dollars renovating the site with new suites and amenities.
Commanders are still tied to the Landover site. Team officials said they would commit to tearing down their old home and to working with Maryland officials on redevelopment if the RFK Stadium deal is approved.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Monday that the Commanders will secure and maintain the 200-acre site while it’s redeveloped, have committed to having the stadium be demolished 90 days after the first game is played at the new field, and will go through all necessary approvals beforehand to avoid creating “blight in the community.”
“In other words, we will not be left with another RFK Stadium,” Mr. Moore said.
Nostalgia is an unavoidable factor when discussing a potential move back to RFK. Commanders fans, including Mr. Harris, are quick to mention their favorite memories. From the rocking stands to the postseason successes, the District hosted most of the franchise’s best memories. Mr. Harris, who attended games at the stadium as a child, said the memories weren’t the primary driver behind the planned move.
“It was less nostalgia and more just a deep connection to understanding how important the location is,” he said, noting the location in the nation’s capital and the District’s place between Maryland and Virginia. “All of those things contributed. It was the right thing.”
Residents in Kingman Park, the neighborhood surrounding the site, have voiced opposition to a new stadium for more than a year. They have expressed concerns about traffic and said they would rather the land be fully dedicated to green space, affordable housing and grocery stores.
Although the city has committed to preserving the “Fields at RFK,” officials with the Bowser administration declined to confirm any plans for the Maloof Skate Park, which is in one of the old stadium’s parking lots.
“We feel ignored,” said Ebony Payne, the advisory neighborhood commissioner for Kingman Park. “The deal was done completely without our input. This will be a continued uphill battle that we’re fighting.”
Activists with the Homes Not Stadiums group have said they want to force a ballot measure allowing D.C. residents to vote on any stadium proposal.
“They’ve had long enough to hear from us. They just don’t care,” Ms. Payne said. “The mayor’s priorities are billionaires.”
• Matt Delaney contributed to this report.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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