US President Joe Biden has passed a bill to transfer the land on which RFK Stadium sits to the District of Columbia, potentially paving the way for the NFL’s Washington Commanders to return to the venue.
Yesterday (Monday), Biden signed into law the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984) during an event at the White House.
Last month, the legislation was passed by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent after it had earlier been removed from the year-end spending bill.
Yesterday’s development was welcomed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said: “It is a good day for DC when we finally have control of our own destiny at the RFK campus. We are ready and optimistic about unlocking the full potential of this space, and with more than 170 acres of land we can do it all – deliver housing, economic opportunity, green space, recreation, sports, and more.
“This moment is the result of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration, and bipartisan leadership. We extend our gratitude to President Biden, Representative James Comer, and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton for their crucial support in ensuring this bill’s success.”
The signing was also attended by Commanders co-owners Josh Harris, Mitch Rales and Mark Ein. In a statement released on X, the Commanders said Biden’s signature represents a “big win” for DC. “We look forward to being a part of that conversation as we evaluate a future home for the Washington Commanders,” the team added.
The RFK legislation was introduced in the summer of 2023 and could allow a new stadium or another mixed-use development to be built at the site of RFK Stadium, boosting Bowser’s efforts to lure the Commanders back to DC.
The Commanders have played at Northwest Stadium in Maryland, some five miles east of DC, since 1997. Previously, RFK Stadium was the Commanders’ home for 35 years.
Maryland and Virginia are also hoping to become the long-term home of the Commanders. The team has a deal to play at Northwest Stadium until September 2027.
In August, Northwest Federal Credit Union acquired naming rights to the Commanders’ stadium as part of a multi-year deal. The team had been seeking a new stadium sponsor since February, when it was announced that FedEx had opted to end its partnership early.
