The Washington Commanders will have a new owner soon. The NFL will vote on the sale of the Commanders from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris on July 20. NFL owners are expected to vote to approve Harris as Washington’s new owner.
With Snyder out of the picture, building a new stadium at the old RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., suddenly becomes an option. Unfortunately, there are hurdles. The federal government owns the RFK site. However, good news could be on the horizon as the District hopes to bring the Commanders back into D.C.
According to The Washington Post, Representative James Comer [R-Ky] is preparing a bill that would allow D.C. to develop the RFK site. It would not be a land sale, and a spokesman for the House Oversight Committee said details of the new legislation have not been finalized. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office is actively involved in the discussions. Bowser has spoken of wanting the NFL team to return to the city.
As the Post noted, if the legislation is passed, other hurdles remain before the Commanders can build a new stadium at the RFK site. D.C. City Council is divided on what to do with the site, although one member has gone on record with his thoughts on bringing the Commanders back to Washington.
“I think we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity with the RFK site to re-imagine it,” Ward 5 Councilman Kenyon McDuffie said, per WUSA 9 in Washington.
If the legislation is passed, Washington may become the frontrunner, ahead of Maryland and Virginia, for a potential new Commanders’ stadium.
