And just like that, the notion of the Washington Commanders returning to play games in the nation’s capital is on life support.
Two days after a congressional bill that included transferring control of the RFK campus from the federal government to the District of Columbia government appeared set for passage, a revised version released Thursday stripped out the measure.
The change significantly reduces the chances of a new football stadium being built in Washington unless the Commanders, led by managing partner Josh Harris, are willing to delay their stated timeline of opening a new stadium by 2030. Without a resolution before the end of this congressional session, the proposition would start from scratch if the District, federal government officials and the Commanders choose to begin anew.
According to the New York Times, this version of the bill was not passed by the House. If no bill is passed by Saturday at 12:01 a.m., the government will enter shutdown this weekend. The hope of a stadium being built in the District is along for the ride. This dramatic shift comes after Tuesday’s news increased the odds of the NFL team leaving its current suburban Maryland location for a site the franchise called home for 35 years.
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Following the initial bipartisan agreement — passage for the RFK transfer was tucked into a continuing resolution designed to avoid a federal government shutdown — Republican politicians, including President-elect Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk, publicly criticized the terms on social media. Their ire was not solely about the RFK matter, though mentions included falsehoods about taxpayer dollars being involved.
The District will control the RFK campus on federal land for another 14 years. However, the current terms of the arraignment only allow for the building of a stadium, not other retail ventures or community purposes. The agreement that passed House and Senate committees would grant the District administrative control for 99 years. That timeframe would allow for necessary financing for a project, in conjunction with the Commanders, that, according to broad estimates, could exceed $2 billion.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed the criticisms earlier on Thursday during a news conference about the refurbishing project of Capital One Arena, another sports venue. The RFK property, located by the Anacostia River, has been dormant for a decade.
“Our message is the same: that the transfer of the RFK site to the District removes blight from the nation’s capital,” Bowser said. “The legislation contains no federal funding for the transfer of the land. In fact, the legislation expressly prohibits — expressly prohibits the use of federal funds for the land.”
The Commanders own the 200-acre property in Prince George’s County, Md., which houses Northwest Stadium. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and other state officials are eager to keep one of their two NFL teams in the state and work with Harris to build retail and commercial property in the connecting neighborhoods.
Less than an hour before the continuing resolution language was released on Tuesday, Moore signed a Memorandum of Understanding, previously signed by Harris, that specified the terms of demolishing Northwest Stadium and the franchise agreeing to help redevelop the property if it moved to another property outside the state. That didn’t mean Moore would concede losing the Commanders.
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“Our position on the stadium hasn’t changed,” the governor said in a statement released Tuesday. “We are not afraid of competition, and we believe that we can continue to build on decades of partnership with the team here in Maryland. We are confident that Landover is still the best, and fastest, path to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.”
The location might be the only option if Harris seeks quick action. Raised in the nearby Maryland suburbs and a lifelong fan of the three-time Super Bowl-winning organization, Harris may prefer the nostalgia only the RFK site could provide and remain patient. Considering he and his partners purchased the franchise from Dan Snyder in July 2023 for $6.05 billion, such restraint won’t be easy.
The Commanders will also look to build a modern practice facility to replace the current one in Northern Virginia, whether as part of a stadium project or separately. Virginia previously held stadium talks with Snyder but was considered a longshot before Thursday’s news.
Bowser worked with oversight committee chairman James Comer (R-KY) to pass the legislation through the committee earlier this year.
“This landmark legislation will unlock the District’s full potential, generate meaningful new jobs and add millions in additional city revenue for the nation’s capital,” Comer said in a statement on Tuesday. “Without Congressional action, this land would remain vacant, leaving ongoing maintenance costs and liabilities to burden the American taxpayer.”
The Energy and Natural Resources Committee eventually passed the bill after a lengthy delay in the Senate, allowing for a vote on the Senate floor. Negotiations with Maryland’s Senate delegation for the continuing resolution to reach a vote included the federal government agreeing to fund the reconstruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and the D.C. government shifting F-16 fighter jets from its National Guard to Maryland.
The bridge funding remains in the revised bill, but the fighter jets transfer and the RFK campus measure were both removed. Asked what happens if the RFK portion of the continuing resolution fails, Bowser said, “I don’t know if there’s another path this session.”
Is there another twist on the horizon? As one Capitol Hill source texted, “Well, nothing is over till it’s over here.”
(Photo of the U.S. Capitol and RFK Stadium: Nicolas Economou / NurPhoto via Getty Images)
