Washington Commenders win approval from DC Council to move back to former home RFK Stadium

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, FileThe Washington Commanders’ hopes of returning to the site of their former at RFK Stadium ed a significant hurdle Friday when the District of Columbia Council apved the legislation

The bill advanced by a 9-3 vote, but it still must be apved a second time by the council before being sent to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser

Bowser negotiated an initial plan with Commanders owner Josh Harris in April, with the team contributing $2.7 billion and the city roughly $1.1 billion for the stadium, housing, green space and a sportsplex on land bordering the Anacostia River. “We are one step closer to securing a sure path to transforming 180 acres of land, which has been our mise to D.C. residents all along,” Bowser said Friday

The Commanders currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, but aim to open a new venue in 2030. “Today’s apval by the council is transformational for D.C. and brings the Commanders back to our spiritual ,” Harris said in a statement. “ many fans, RFK was the site of memories that fueled my love for this team and this city

Now we’re closer than ever to reigniting that energy for a new generation.” The bill still faces a cess called second reading and must be apved again in a vote that is expected in September

And its advancement Friday was not without some reservations

Councilmember Robert White Jr., who opposed the bill, had three amendments rejected

But one of them, posing stronger penalties if the team fails to der on development commitments, drew a sympathetic response from the panel. “I want to see us do better than where we are, between now and second reading,” said Councilmember Charles Allen, who supported the bill at this stage. “I think you’re going to hear enough voices on this dais that want to see us continue to work on this between first and second reading, to continue to make this better. … The mises made have to be dered, and we need to safeguard (so) that happens.” Councilmembers Zachary Parker and Janeese Lewis George supported the measure after announcing earlier in the day that a contract agreement between the Commanders and union partners had been signed

Congress passed a bill transferring the RFK Stadium land to the city that was signed by then-President Joe Biden in early January

That paved the way for possibly replacing the old stadium with a mixed-use development, including the new playing field for the Commanders

However, President Donald Trump last month threatened to block federal support for the stadium ject unless the team reverted to its former name, Redskins

The debate over the team’s nickname did not come up during Friday’s council meeting, although Councilmember Anita Bonds did stress the need to pass this legislation as a way of avoiding possible federal intervention. “The land was transferred to us via a bill that passed Congress and signed by President Joe Biden two weeks before he left office

I don’t need to remind everyone that times are very different now,” Bonds said. “There is new leadership in our federal government, a new party controlling Congress, and perhaps others across the country and region that may be waiting for us to not apve this deal, so that they can take over

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