Washington (AFP) – Washington DC City Council members voted 9-3 on Friday to approve a $1.1 billion funding bill, a major step in the Washington Commanders’ quest for a proposed $3.8 billion NFL stadium. The plan would also include housing, shops, and parking at the site of the team’s former home, RFK Stadium.
Mayor Muriel Bowser backed the plan, but council chair Phil Mendelson sought changes that led to the NFL club offering a better deal in the end, one that needed at least a two-thirds vote from the 12-member panel and had more than enough for approval. A second vote must be taken in September for final approval, but that is expected to be a copy of the first. The new venue is expected to open in 2030. The team has played in nearby Maryland since leaving RFK after the 1996 NFL season.
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“We will bring our team home and deliver a state-of-the-art, Super Bowl-ready stadium for our Commanders, more than 6,000 new homes for DC residents, a SportsPlex for our kids, parks and recreation space for the community and so much more,” Bowser said in a statement. “With the Commanders as our partner, we will deliver jobs and opportunity when our city needs them most.”
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