By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com
During the early hours of the morning on Dec. 21 members of the U.S. Senate passed new legislation that has the nation’s capital on the winning end of a long debacle with the state of Maryland and the federal government. The D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium( RFK Stadium) Campus Revitalization Act transfers ownership of the RFK Stadium and its nearly two mile long campus from the federal government to the District of Columbia.
This landmark legislation comes after a year of lobbying and support from elected officials like Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“As a city, we have worked for years toward the opportunity to transform a vacant, blighted sea of asphalt in the heart of D.C., and to put the RFK campus back to productive use. Today, we are pleased and grateful to congressional leaders for advancing this critical bipartisan legislation that recognizes the potential of the land,” Bowser wrote in a statement shared on social media. “The future of the RFK campus will benefit residents and visitors alike, and our vision for the renaissance and development of more than 170 acres of waterfront space will benefit the entire region.”
Giving D.C., control of the property will allow for the corpse of the stadium to be demolished and reconstructed into a variety of things including a new football stadium and a series of entertainment, housing and job opportunities options Washington Commanders fans and the D.C., community at large to enjoy.
With the bill having been passed by the Senate, all it needs is a signature from President Biden to officially go into law. And although the legislation has been passed, with no presidential signature, this new law –and where the Commanders will play in the future– isn’t entirely written in stone.
Since 1997, the Commanders have played in Landover, Md., at Northwest Stadium and Governor Wes Moore would like to keep it that way.
“Our position on the stadium hasn’t changed. We are not afraid of competition, and we believe that we can continue to build on decades of partnership with the team here in Maryland,” said Moore in a statement. “We are confident that Landover is still the best path to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.”
On the evening of Dec.17 Moore, Prince George’s County and the Commanders signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding what would happen if the bill is put into law. It was noted that the NFL team will tear down FedEx Field in a timely manner and replace the site with a project that provides equal economic stimulation to the local economy.
“We have said from the start of this process that regardless of what happened with the RFK legislation, we are focused on making sure that Landover receives the investment it deserve,” the statement read. “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.”
Even with Biden’s signature and the law put in place, there’s no guarantee the Commanders will return to the District for their new stadium. Their lease at Norwest Stadium runs through 2027 and they’re looking throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area for a new location to call home.
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