While the Washington Commanders hope to one day make the RFK Stadium site home again, it’s the D.C. Council that is playing games on that famed plot of land.
Nothing ever comes easy in politics, especially when the nation’s capital is involved. The case involving the Commanders is no different as budget battles and political one-upmanship are on full display – setting up a fight between Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council, with the team caught in between.
On July 1, the mayor appeared on The Team 980 with Kevin Sheehan, where she was asked about her feelings surrounding the deal, which has not yet been approved.
‘I’m concerned right now that everybody buckle down and get to work,’ Bowser said. ‘I’m not concerned about our deal. Our deal is solid. It pays off for D.C. And at the end of the day, I think everybody wants the same thing.’
Sheehan pushed Bowser to put her level of concern on a scale of zero to five, with five being the most concerned.
‘I would put my level of concern – because when you’re a big city mayor you’re concerned about everything – I’ll put it at a four,’ Bowser said.
The Commanders have been targeting a stadium opening date in 2030, allowing them enough time to host some big events in the future – notably games in the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Without approval soon, the team claims those plans will be put in danger, forcing the D.C. area to miss out on those marquee dates.
As illustrated in the current deal that was announced on April 28, the city would provide $1.1 billion in public funds to help build the stadium on the old RFK site. The Commanders would contribute $2.7 billion in what figures to be a nearly $4 billion project.
Washington’s team leadership held a dinner on Monday night for councilmembers to discuss the situation, which needs seven votes to approve. According to the Washington Post, there are currently four councilmembers in favor of the deal.
There is currently a July 15 deadline in place as outlined in the exclusive negotiating window. With public hearings set for July 29 and 30, it appears the council is in no rush to move the legislation forward. More importantly, the council is slated to go on recess from August until mid-September, meaning no deal on the intended date could put the project in danger of falling apart.
Fox 5 Washington DC reported on July 1 that Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has heard talks of a potential Plan B from the Commanders, which could include going to President Donald Trump and members of Congress to make the deal happen in time.
This comes on the heels of a decision by Mendelson to separate the stadium deal from the 2026 budget process. A Commanders spokesperson released a statement in response to the news on June 25:
The Washington Commanders are committed to working with the Council around the clock to keep this project on schedule and deliver a world-class stadium for the District by 2030. This is about more than just a stadium: it’s an investment in families, local workers, and long-term economic opportunity that will transform this community, District, and the region.
Any substantive delays will jeopardize D.C.’s ability to attract premier concerts, global talent, and marquee events—including the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Most importantly, it will slow new jobs at a time when the District needs them the most. We are hopeful the Council will continue to work in an expedited way to approve this deal and deliver a significant win for the people of D.C.
Mendelson has indicated there will be no vote while the council is on recess, which could delay the project’s fate until September or later.
‘It would be incredibly extraordinary to call the Council back in August,’ Mendelson said, via NBC4 Washington. “I can’t think of one time in 50 years of home rule that we have called the Council back.’
He also would not commit to a vote in early September.
‘I’m not gonna budge from this, and that is that we are working well with the Commanders and as diligently as possible to try to get to a point where the Council can vote as quickly as possible,’ Mendelson continued.
The Commanders franchise left the RFK Stadium site in 1996 for FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland – where they still currently play home games at what is now known as Northwest Stadium.
While there is no indication that the Commanders would leave and relocate to another city like other NFL teams have done when faced with similar issues from local officials, there is always a chance they could opt for another site in the surrounding area.
Maryland, where the Commanders currently play, and Virginia have shown interest in a new stadium for the team in the past.
For now, the goal remains focused on making the return to RFK a reality.
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