The Washington Commanders and D.C. announced a deal Monday that would bring the football team back to the capital to play in a new stadium at the RFK Stadium site.
The new 65,000-seat stadium would open in 2030, according to officials.
The D.C. Council still needs to approve the agreement for it to move forward.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser joined WTOP’s John Aaron and Michelle Basch to respond to pushback on the deal and shares details about the planned stadium.
Read and listen to the interview below.
The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
John Aaron: Well, we know that this is a huge development, but of course, we all know that everything’s not done until it actually crosses the finish line. So, do you have any concerns that this will hit some snags at the city council?
Muriel Bowser: Listen, we’ve advanced a great plan. We’ve advanced a deal that has been roundly, roundly, lauded for the level of private investment. In fact, the largest private investment proposed in the history of the District of Columbia. Compared nationally, it has the lowest percent of public investment of any National Football League deal. And so, we know what it means for 180 acres in Washington, D.C. that’s going to bring back almost $20 billion in tax revenue, at a time when the city needs it the most.
Michelle Basch: Are there parallels here in working out this deal to the Capital One Arena project? Did going through that process help you with this one?
Muriel Bowser: It absolutely did. I think that we work through a financial structure with Capital One that is mirrored in some ways in this stadium. You will remember that we invested $515 million in transforming Capital One which is an anchor to our Downtown, which is very important to the value of our property, to people visiting Downtown and the future of Downtown. Similarly, we’re investing $500 million in capital investment in the RFK project. This one’s different in that there’s nothing there now, and this is going to create a new neighborhood, and that we’re helping more with the infrastructure and parking. Even though we invested in infrastructure and parking all those years ago when Abe Pollen and Marion Barry struck the Capital One deal.
John Aaron: OK to the stadium itself, we’re told that it’ll be a dome stadium. How do you feel about that? Do you think it should be a retractable dome, a fixed dome? Obviously, fixed is cheaper. Retractable, we get to see football in, you know, real weather that affects the game. Do you have a preference? What are you thinking?
Muriel Bowser: I insisted that we have a dome. Because that gives us more use of the stadium year-round. I think the current thinking is that it’s fixed and that the technologies, I’m not an expert on this, but the people who are assure us that the technologies available now will give that real world grass experience.
John Aaron: But no football in the snow? For better or worse.
Muriel Bowser: No football in the snow. But definitely Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, soccer in the beautiful sunshine.
John Aaron: Yeah, you don’t, you don’t want that in the snow. That makes sense.
Michelle Basch: Well, what about the status of work to demolish what’s left of RFK Stadium? When do you think it’ll be completely gone?
Muriel Bowser: Oh, that is underway and it has been, and our Event D.C. partners are taking the lead on that in what they call a selective demolition. So, you won’t see a big explosion or poof. We know that that’s better for the environment and surrounding neighborhood. It’s not a hold up in any way to the startup construction, because the planning and design and all of that to get to breaking ground on the stadium will take at least that long.
John Aaron: Finally, Mayor Bowser, we know that this is hardly the only thing on your plate. There is a giant budget hole that you’ve been left with to fill. What’s the latest on that? Have you been in touch with members of Congress. How are you doing with that?
Muriel Bowser: We continue to work the Congress. And I just want to assure D.C. residents that our investment in our future, in our growth agenda for the city in FY 26 really has nothing to do with the budget. I call it the ‘fake budget crisis’ that the Congress has created. Because no matter what happens in with this summer CR fix for FY 25 we’re going to have a balanced 26 budget that focuses on growth. There’s going to be some right sizing and spending, but it will be some bold proposals that help us create jobs, attract businesses, retain our residents and replace the economic activity of 40,000 federal jobs.
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