WASHINGTON – The Washington Commanders’ hopes of returning to the site of their former home at RFK Stadium cleared a significant hurdle Friday when the District of Columbia Council approved the legislation.
The bill passed by a 9-3 vote, but it still must be approved a second time by the council before being sent to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, who negotiated the original plan with Commanders owner Josh Harris in April.
The Commanders currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, but aim to open a new venue in 2030.
The ownership group led by Harris has been considering locations in Washington, Maryland and Virginia since buying the team from Dan Snyder in 2022. Congress passed a bill transferring the RFK Stadium land to the city that was signed by then-President Joe Biden in early January.
That paved the way for making it possible to replace the old stadium with a mixed-use development, including the new playing field for the Commanders.
However, President Donald Trump last month threatened to block federal support for the stadium project unless the team reverted to its former name, Redskins. That issue did not come up during Friday’s council meeting.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s office recently estimated the redevelopment could generate $26.6 billion in tax revenue over 30 years. The district would contribute $1 billion toward the stadium project, while the team would fund the remaining $2.7 billion.
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