The Commanders Return to DC
The Washington Commanders have officially completed a deal to return to RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, DC. On Monday, April 28th, the Washington Commanders owner and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a $3.7 billion deal to rebuild RFK Stadium and the surrounding area for the return of the NFL team. After spending 28 years playing their home games in Landover, Maryland, at Northwest Stadium, formerly known as FedEx Field, they will return to their original home.
The five-year plan to build the RFK campus on 180 acres of land plans to bring life and opportunity to the city. The new stadium will hold seating for 65,000 fans and will feature a glass roof with views of the National Mall. Outside of the stadium, there will be around 5,000-6,000 new housing units constructed, with 30% to be affordable housing. A new sports complex will be built alongside The Fields at RFK as well as hotels, restaurants, and retail.
After a historic season in 2024, the Commanders have revived the love of football in the DMV. Once star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn joined the team, everything changed. The team finished with a 12-5 record this past season while making it to the NFC championship achieving their best season since the Redskins 1991-1992 Super Bowl run.
This new deal that Josh Harris of the Commanders orchestrated will cost the franchise $2.7 billion to put toward the cost of construction, and the city will contribute $1.1 billion for construction, a sportsplex, parking, and utilities. This makes the largest private investment in DC history. With the creation of the campus will come approximately 14,000 new jobs, with about 2,000 being permanent. The campus is estimated to bring in $4 billion in taxes from the stadium and entertainment district and $14 billion in direct spending. Expectations are high for the commanders and city officials.
Although there is some pushback from residents in both D.C. and Landover on the Commanders’ plan to return. Some residents believe their tax money could be better spent, as there are more pressing issues that those funds could be used for, such as housing and jobs. Not all DC council members are on board with this idea either, as the plan can not go through without their approval. Also, some are concerned that Northwest Stadium will be left vacant like RFK Stadium, but if plans go through, the Commanders have already committed to revitalizing the space.
The potential return of the Washington Commanders to DC has fans excited, despite plans still being unofficial and dependent on DC Council approval. If all goes well, the team could be back by 2030, sparking hope and enthusiasm within the community.
