Washington, DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser is making strides towards bringing the NFL team formerly known as the Washington Commanders back to their original home at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The U.S. House of Representatives has approved HR 4984, granting permission for the DC government to revitalize both the stadium and its surrounding land. This bill was passed with an overwhelming vote of 348-55 and will now move on to be considered by the Senate.
If enacted, this legislation would extend D.C.’s lease on the stadium land for a period of 99 years, allowing them to redevelop it into a new state-of-the-art facility along with a mixed-use campus featuring retail and office space. Additionally, nearly one-third of this land would be designated as open space.
Since moving out in 1997, The Commanders have been playing in Maryland under a lease that expires in 2027. Bringing them back to D.C could have significant implications for the city which may soon lose other major sports teams such as The Washington Wizards and Capitals due to plans for construction on an alternative arena located in Alexandria,Virginia.
The article “House Passes Bill To Redevelop RFK Stadium” originally appeared on Connect CRE.
