Washington, DC – Commander of Washington is going home. The Washington, D.C. Commission voted for the agreement between the team and the city, paving the way for the franchise to return to the area.
The Council voted 9-3 – a two-thirds majority – to approve plans for the soccer stadium where you can enjoy the best time in the franchise.
The council must vote again on the measure on September 17, but multiple sources involved in the process said the team could plan after the vote on Friday because they knew the second vote would have the same result.
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Washington announced an agreement with the city to build a stadium in the residence of RFK Stadium (1961-1996). The 174-acre property will become a mixed-use facility for a home development, a gymnasium and retail store.
Commanders will invest $2.7 billion to build the stadium and pay for overruns – and the region will donate $1 billion. The team has long been targeting 2030, as the stadium must be opened this year, so large events can be held, such as the 2031 Women's World Cup.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told ESPN last month that she felt “very good” about the stadium that was open at that time, adding: “I think it can be faster.”
Bowser said the team could shovel “early next year and shovel on the ground next year.”
A source with knowledge of the situation said the stadium would be sanitized, and although they have not ruled out retractable roofs, the cost of the cost — coupled with the possible returns — could make the situation shocking.
The commander had considered living in his current home in Landford, Maryland, but owner Josh Harris and his staff first focused on returning to RFK. The team will continue to train in its Ashburn, Virginia, and have a team headquarters at College Park, Maryland. Harris said he wanted to represent all the “DMV” – Maryland and Virginia areas.
But RFK has always been a sentimental website for fans of the series – Harris grew up as a fan of the team in the area and has played in this stadium. From 1972 to 1992, Washington played in five Super Bowls, winning three games and only two lost seasons. RFK is a unique home court advantage with its private environment and some of the movable shelves that fans can bounce back.
But former owner Jack Kent Cooke couldn't build a new stadium in the area and paid for the current stadium built in Maryland. Since opening the suburban stadium in 1997, the organization has released only eight winning seasons and made it to the playoffs seven times. Washington led 12-5 last season to the NFC Championship, where he lost to Philadelphia.
The distance back to the area was a long shot two years ago when multiple sources considered the distance between Maryland and Virginia was one-third. But then a series of important events: Dan Snyder sold the team; Harris purchased it in July 2023; Congress leased federal land to the area over the next 99 years.
Council members also reached a last-minute deal. Council President Phil Mendelson said in a press conference last week that the terms of the renegotiation would purify about $779 million over 30 years – which could come from revenue and/or other savings.
Parking revenues are also renegotiated, and the area is now able to impose a 18% tax, just like it does in other parking lots. The money will be used for stadium maintenance.
Bowser was impressed by the council and the city will immediately benefit from building the stadium due to instant job creation. A study by the Council’s Budget Office noted that a new stadium would bring economic benefits earlier than six years of mixed-use development.
Some members were worried about what would happen if there was no vote. No other private investors have made another proposal for the property.
“The other option is that we're still talking about this for ten years,” one member said.