D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser touted the economic benefits of a new Commanders stadium at the old RFK site at a community town hall in Ward 7 on Thursday night, calling it the fastest and surest route to help the city develop the land.
During a two-hour community meeting at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, Bowser described the expected impact of the nearly $4 billion deal with the NFL franchise, which would include a sportsplex, green space, new housing, hotels and restaurants — all anchored by the stadium.
Under the proposal, D.C. would pay about $500 million toward the project, with the Commanders covering most of the other costs. Bowser said city investment in sports projects, such as Capital One Arena and Nationals Park, has paid off.
But still, some residents of the neighborhoods near the project site urged Bowser to consider traffic impacts, prioritizing local businesses and contractors and emphasizing public safety.
“Our economy has shifted not because we wanted it to, but because the actions of the federal government are requiring us to move very quickly from an economy that has relied on federal jobs to one that is more diverse,” Bowser told the packed room.
“Part of diversifying our economy is leaning into the things that are working and working well — and our sports and entertainment economy is one that is delivering for us.”
The D.C. Council still has to approve the deal, which Bowser hopes will have the team opening the 2030 season in a new stadium.
Ward 7 Council member Wendell Felder said the project will give the neighborhood an anchor, a step he’s considering essential because “Ward 7 has not seen its fair share of investments, and now we have a chance to change that.”
Frazer Walton, a member of the Kingman Park Civic Association, called construction of a new stadium “good news” and is hoping it comes with an Olympic-sized pool for community members to use.
“I absolutely support using public funds,” Walton told WTOP. “I absolutely support seeing millionaires come to the city, so they can pay some of these taxes for us.”
David Bagby, meanwhile, is hoping the project is developed in a way that is beneficial to all residents, including maintaining green spaces.
But, Bagby said, he’s opposed to using public funds to support it because “with all the job cuts in the region, there’s going to be some economic developments that the city’s going to need to prepare for. Public funds on a stadium would not be the best use of those funds at this time.”
One resident told Bowser that games aren’t currently played at the old RFK Stadium site but there’s still “so much traffic in my neighborhood.” Others wondered if the land could be better used for other projects, such as a new hospital.
One town hall attendee stood up excitedly and said he wants to see the team “win a Super Bowl. Whatever that takes, I’m down. I want a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue with my Super Bowl gear on.”
Creating a Super Bowl-ready stadium facility, Bowser said, would put the city in a position to host events it currently misses out on.
“Taylor Swift passed us by, Beyoncé is in Landover, so all these things are world-class events that a world-class city should be able to host,” Bowser said.
The city is planning to host additional listening sessions to collect community feedback.
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