The Washington Commanders are another step closer to the possibility of returning to the franchise's old home in the nation's capital.
A provision to transfer the land that is the site of the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia is included in Congress’ short-term spending bill, which lawmakers are racing to pass.
It's a significant victory for the organization and the NFL after controlling owner Josh Harris and Commissioner Roger Goodell lobbied lawmakers on Capitol Hill on the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act earlier this month.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said it was a "giant step forward" to unlocking the site's potential.
"As a city, we have worked for years to get control of the RFK campus," Bowser said. "We're celebrating this moment, and we're looking to the future of a field of possibilities on the banks of the Anacostia."
One possibility is obviously a football stadium.
The Commanders are considering places in the district, Maryland and Virginia to build a stadium in the coming years. Their lease at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, runs through 2027, and Harris called 2030 a “reasonable target” for a new one.
The team played at RFK Stadium two miles (3.22 kilometers) east of the Capitol from 1961-1996 before moving to Maryland. Harris and several co-owners, including Mitch Rales and Mark Ein, grew up as Washington football fans during that era, which included the glory days of three Super Bowl championships from 1982-1991.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., praised the move as evidence Congress is doing its job to oversee the city.
"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. "Without Congressional action, this land would remain vacant, leaving ongoing maintenance costs and liabilities to burden the American taxpayer. Now is the time to get the federal government out of the way and empower local officials to clean up the RFK site, invest and create new economic opportunities."
The provision got into the bill after the team agreed to tear down the stadium in Landover in a timely manner and redevelop the site with a project of equal economic impact, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Also, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore secured full federal funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that collapsed earlier this year and there is a fighter squadron moving to the state from D.C., the person said.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement was not being publicized.
Moore said Maryland's position has not changed, saying state officials "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," Moore said in a statement. "We have said from the start of this process that regardless of what happens with the RFK legislation, we are focused on making sure that Landover receives the investment it deserves. While the stadium location is still an open question, the Commanders and the state of Maryland both agree on the importance of the team's commitment to the Prince George's community if the team decides to move."
The team has played in Maryland since 1997 and practices in Ashburn, Virginia, not far from Dulles International Airport.
Copyright 2024 by The Associated Press
