Commanders support DC efforts to control RFK

The Washington Commanders say they are supporting efforts by the District of Columbia to get control of the RFK Stadium site that used to be the NFL team’s home.

A team spokesperson said Thursday that officials are communicating with stakeholders at the federal and local levels about the RFK site.

“[We are] sharing our vision for a potential venue … that will create jobs and economic growth for the region and be compatible with the surrounding community and the elected leaders of the District,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

The land less than roughly 2 miles east of the U.S. Capitol is owned by the federal government, and congressional control is one of the biggest obstacles to potentially building a new state-of-the-art football stadium on the site, the future of which has been a matter of considerable debate.

Several D.C. City Council members last year voiced their opposition to building a stadium there, something mayor Muriel Bowser has supported. A message sent to Bowser’s office seeking comment was not immediately returned.

It’s not clear how new ownership might approach the situation once Josh Harris’ group buys the team from Dan Snyder. There’s an agreement in principle in place to sell the storied franchise for a record $6.05 billion, pending league approval, among other steps.

Washington played home games at RFK Stadium 1961-96 before moving to FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Rushed to completion under previous owner Jack Kent Cooke, that stadium has not aged well in the decades since.

Finding a new stadium site is the top long-term priority for the new owners once they assume control of the organization, with places in D.C., Maryland and Virginia still among the options. Last year, Virginia’s General Assembly abandoned a stadium bill and Maryland took steps to make bonds available for possible stadium construction.

One major question around the RFK Stadium site is whether the D.C. government would approve construction of a mixed-use entertainment complex on the land just west of the Anacostia River.

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