The Washington Commanders’ chances of building a new stadium in the District of Columbia suffered a setback when a provision allowing Congress to transfer federal land to the city was removed from a spending bill. The provision would have given the city control of over 170 acres at the RFK Stadium site, increasing the team’s chances of moving forward with plans.
Team officials had discussed the provision with members of Congress and considered it a significant step towards building a new stadium in the city. However, Mayor Muriel Bowser had stated that the current lease would not be enough to secure funding for the project.
The Commanders’ owner Josh Harris has expressed a desire to have a new stadium by 2030, but the team may choose to wait and see if Congress revisits the issue in its next session. The removal of the provision was attributed to an incorrect headline about the bill’s contents, which caused confusion among lawmakers. Despite this setback, Bowser remains committed to revitalizing the RFK Stadium site, which she sees as a key part of her vision for the city’s future development.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43082065/commanders-move-takes-hit-spending-bill-sans-land-provision-passes