Commanders to announce deal for new stadium to be built in Washington, D.C. – Washington Examiner
The Washington Commanders are set to return to Washington, D.C., wiht plans to build a new stadium at the RFK Stadium site, following an agreement with the city. The franchise, which previously called RFK home from 1961 to 1996, is expected to make an official declaration regarding the deal soon. The stadium’s construction is estimated to cost around $3 billion, funded primarily by the Commanders ($2.5 billion) and the city ($850 million). However, the D.C. Council must approve the use of taxpayer funds for the project, and some council members have expressed concerns about public financing. The timeline for the stadium’s completion remains uncertain, but there is a goal to have it ready by 2030. RFK Stadium has been unused since 2007 and has hosted various events since then.
Commanders to announce deal for new stadium to be built in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Commanders will officially be returning to the nation’s capital.
After weeks of speculation, the NFL franchise agreed to a deal with the city of Washington, D.C., to build a new stadium at the site of RFK Stadium, ESPN reported. The venue was the Commanders’ home from 1961 to 1996, when the team was named the Washington Redskins and won three Super Bowls and appeared in five.
The terms of the arrangement for the new stadium have yet to be announced. However, multiple reports speculated that it could cost nearly $3 billion. An official announcement regarding the deal is expected Monday morning, according to ESPN. There has been no word on when the new stadium will be built, but Commanders’ owner Josh Harris previously said he would like a new stadium by 2030.
Even though the Commanders haven’t used the stadium in nearly 30 years, RFK Stadium still stands. It has been uninhabited since 2007, when the Washington Nationals relocated to D.C. The team used it as their home stadium from 2005 to 2007 after relocating to the city from Montreal, where its former team name was the Expos. Since then, the stadium has hosted occasional events such as concerts, college athletic matches and competitions, and other relatively minor sporting events.
News4 reported that the Commanders organization and the city of Washington, D.C., would contribute to the stadium’s construction. The Commanders would provide $2.5 billion, while D.C. would contribute $850 million.
Previous reports highlighted that the D.C. Council must approve any taxpayer funds used to help build a new Commanders stadium. ESPN reported that at the time, the politicians were divided on the issue.
“My position has been that there should not be public dollars — the D.C. treasury should not be paying toward a stadium,” said Phil Mendelson (D), D.C. Council Chairman, in an earlier statement to the Washington Post.
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Mendelson also expressed disappointment at D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for not keeping the council updated on conversations and potential plans about a new stadium.
“I find it disturbing that the mayor believes a unilateral approach is the best course, especially when ultimately the council has to give approval,” he said.
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