Washington's leaders could soon see the kickoff take place in the heart of the nation's capital.
A federal funding deal unveiled by congressional negotiators on Tuesday clears the way for Commanders Stadium to be moved from Maryland to Washington, D.C., and local officials are touting it as a big win for the city.
The bill, introduced by lawmakers ahead of Friday's closure deadline, would give the federal government jurisdiction over the grounds of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium campus, a defunct venue in the northeast part of the city. It includes a provision for transfer from the city to the city. 99 years of DC.
The managers would then be able to negotiate the construction of a new stadium where RFK Stadium currently stands.
The Commanders played at RFK Stadium from 1961 to 1996, then moved to Northwest Stadium, formerly known as FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland, where they currently play. The team's lease at the venue ends in 2027.
NFL Commissioner Roger Kudel and Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris met with lawmakers earlier this month to advocate for D.C. to have jurisdiction over RFK Stadium. Associated PressIt was reported at the time.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) welcomed the development.
“As a city, we have been working for years toward an opportunity to transform the sea of vacant and blighted asphalt in the heart of Washington, D.C., and return the RFK campus to productive use,” Bowser said in a statement. mentioned in. “Today, we are pleased and grateful to Congressional leaders for advancing this important bipartisan legislation that recognizes the potential of our land.”
“And the potential for housing and jobs is huge; for sports, recreation and entertainment districts; for green space, good connections to the river and monumental views of our nation's capital,” she continued. “The future of the RFK campus is one that will benefit residents and visitors alike, and our vision for the revitalization and development of more than 170 acres of waterfront space will benefit the entire region.”
The Hill has reached out to the commanders for comment.
The relocation of the commanders from Maryland to Washington, D.C., is a major loss for the former line states, and the change could have an economic impact on the region. However, the federal funding bill included a major win for Maryland: the restoration of the Francis Scott Key Bridge would be fully federally funded. The bill also includes language that would relocate a Washington, D.C. Air National Guard squadron to Maryland.
As the continuing resolution became clearer, Maryland's two senators, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D), said that despite their initial concerns, the final said he agrees with the RFK Stadium language.
“Our main objective was to level this out.” Cardin told Fox 5.. “I think we've succeeded in that. Nothing starts until everything is done, but that's our main objective and we're working very closely with the governor and commanders to make this happen.” We have cooperated.”
The language at RFK Stadium is a vast bill that funds the government through March 14, extends the Farm Bill by one year, and appropriates about $100 billion in disaster relief and about $10 billion in economic aid to farmers. It was one of the temporary additional measures. Allow multiple re-authentications.
Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to approve the bill or authorize a government shutdown.
