The Washington Commanders will return to Washington, D.C., in 2030 for the first time since their relocation to Maryland in 1997.
The D.C. Council passed an amended bill 11-2 on Wednesday that would bring a new Commanders stadium to the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium campus.
The $3.8 billion deal is set to redevelop the RFK stadium and “activate 180 acres of opportunity” surrounding the Anacostia River, according to a statement from D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser’s office.
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The redevelopment is set to bring 6,000 new housing units to the site and $26.6 billion in redevelopment tax revenue, according to a council news release from August.
“It is with great pride that I can say we are officially bringing our Commanders home and turning 180 acres of land on the banks of the Anacostia, on the monumental axis, into jobs and opportunity for D.C. residents,” Bowser’s statement reads.
The decision comes after Bowser and Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris initially announced a deal to bring the stadium to Washington in April. The bill was first approved by a council in a 9-3 vote in August, The Diamondback previously reported.
Harris shared a statement in August declaring his excitement about the move back.
“Today’s approval by the council is transformational for D.C. and brings the Commanders back to our spiritual home,” his statement read.
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The Commanders released a statement on Wednesday to D.C. chair and council members alleging that council members presented a list of “unworkable and impractical” last minute demands that jeopardize the $2.7 billion investment. Most demands were made verbally without supporting documentation, the statement reads.
“Many of these proposals significantly impact our ability to deliver this project as envisioned and will restrict the value this project would deliver,” the statement read.
In their statement, the Commanders urged the council to honor their agreement.
The Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland has been the Washington Commanders’ home since 1997. The team is expected to use the stadium for 33 total seasons before moving back to D.C., where they played from 1937 until 1996.
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore released a statement in April that said the state has been preparing for the possibility of the team’s relocation. The state made a deal with the team to collaborate on a redevelopment plan, Moore said in his statement.
“Our priority has always been ensuring that the Landover community will see a transformative new development in the years ahead, regardless of the stadium decision,” his statement reads.
Prince George’s County chair Edward Burroughs expressed disappointment with the team’s move in an April statement. He assured local residents that the county is committed to turning the site into something valuable for the community.
“It appears [the Commanders] are committed to working with us to ensure the stadium site is not left blighted and abandoned, and instead becomes a vibrant new development,” his statement reads.
