During a press conference this week, President Donald Trump discussed the new Washington Commanders stadium proposed to be built on the site of the old RFK Stadium in Washington. As a football fan, President Trump told NBC 4 reporter Mark Segraves that he would be willing to step in and assist if necessary.
“We’ll see what happens,” Trump told Mark Segraves of NBC 4 Washington. “I’ve been looking at the deal, and, you know, I don’t blame them. It’s a very important piece of property, it’s a great piece of property, so we’ll see, but if I can help them out, I would. Ultimately, we control that. The federal government ultimately controls it, so we’ll see what happens. I saw the plans, I saw the stadium, the owner is very, very successful, and a very good man, I know him a little bit, and it would be a great place for the NFL to be there.”
FANS WANT THE TEAM BACK IN DC
For over a decade, fans of the Washington Commanders (formerly the Redskins) have expressed a desire for the team, currently based in Landover, Maryland, to return to the historic RFK Stadium site, where they played for nearly half a century. Fast forward to April, when Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, Commanders’ managing partner Josh Harris, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a deal that would bring the franchise back to the old RFK site.
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Harris proposed a plan in which his group would contribute $2.7 billion, with the city adding an additional $1 billion. This would create a $3.7 billion entertainment complex, which would not only include a stadium but also feature retail stores, apartments, office spaces, and a large green area designated as a family park. This project represents the largest investment in Washington’s history and aims to bring back all professional sports teams to D.C.
The NFL will host the 2027 NFL Draft on the National Mall and the Commanders hope to be playing in their new home by 2020.
The objective is to provide the Nation’s Capitol with a world-class domed stadium that will host a variety of events, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the Super Bowl, concerts, and potentially even the Olympics.
BOWSERS BATTLE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Bowser wanted the city council to vote on the project by July 15th to keep it on track for a potential bid for the Women’s World Cup. However, most members of the DC city council are hesitant to rush the process, even though there is support for building the stadium.
Council members have requested additional information regarding the deal, specifically concerning revenue projections and tax exemptions. They argue that the significance of the deal—which includes $1 billion in public funding—requires a more thorough examination. Additionally, they have proposed changes to the stadium’s parking, rent, and labor agreements. Gathering this information and negotiating the suggested alterations will likely delay the approval of the deal until after the July 15 deadline.
The council has scheduled public hearings for July 29 and 30, according to Liam Griffin of The Washington Times. This essentially means the city will not meet the Commanders’ deadline. Last week, Bowser expressed her level of concern as a four out of five, as reported by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
THE DEAL WILL GE DONE
Once again the city council members have voiced confidence in the Commanders’ intention to return to Washington. But the approval will come later this year and there could be a few chages in the deal but there seemingly nothig to torpedo the deal.
As far as President Trump at the moment is a last minute break the glass in emergency measure. DC football fans may have to wait a bit longer than 2030.
