D.C. is close to a deal worth more than $3 billion to bring the Washington Commanders back to the District and build a new stadium at the RFK Stadium site.
The deal isn’t final as negotiations are ongoing, so the number could change, but multiple sources familiar with the deal told News4 that Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Commanders have the framework for a deal in place that would see the team paying the vast majority of the costs to build a new stadium and much of the money provided by the city going for infrastructure that will support the entire 180-acre development.
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WATCH HEREThe Commanders would put up as much as $2.5 billion, and the District would provide up to $850 million, documents obtained by News4 show. D.C.’s funding would go toward what are referred to as eligible capital costs associated with the stadium and infrastructure for the stadium and surrounding 180-acre campus, including parking structures that will serve the entire development.
The District’s investment would be paid in installments, with the first $500 million paid out between 2026 and 2030 for various portions of the work as the stadium and infrastructure are completed. The other $350 million would be paid in 2032 through taxes generated from the new development to cover costs of the stadium or stadium infrastructure.
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SIGN UP The final contribution by the team could be less than $2.5 billion, sources familiar with the negotiations told News4.
The deal calls for the stadium and stadium parking to be completed by fall 2030. Commanders owner Josh Harris has been clear he wants a new stadium to be ready for the 2030 season.
The mayor’s office and the Commanders declined to comment to News4 Wednesday. Bowser released a statement Thursday saying she would provide more details about the development of RFK in the coming days.
But at a press conference Monday, Bowser announced the 2026 budget is complete and ready to go to the D.C. Council. If the mayor has a deal for a new stadium, it will have to be in the 2026 budget.
“I learned of this only yesterday afternoon, and we need to know more,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told News4 Thursday. “I have said many times that I support a stadium and welcome the return of our football team, but without the investment of public dollars.”
After a briefing on the deal, Mendelson said they are underselling the total cost of the project while overstating the benefits.
“Is this really gonna cost us close to a billion dollars? That’s when you factor in the horizontal costs, funding from EventsDC, the commitment for additional funding in six years, debt service on borrowing, and the NPS parkland offset promised to the Senate,” Mendelson said. “What capital programs, if any, are being displaced from our budget? The Council will look at these questions carefully.”
The preliminary agreement News4 obtained refers to the team as the master developer, meaning the team would not only build the stadium but also develop the entire 180-acre campus, which the mayor and council members have said they want to be a mixed-use residential and retail development.
“I am excited about the opportunity and the prospect of bringing the Commanders back to D.C., the rightful home where they belong,” Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said Thursday.
One hurdle is the looming $410 million in budget cuts D.C. faces for the current fiscal year that were imposed by Congress. That must get resolved, then the mayor can present her budget for fiscal year 2026, which needs to be approved by the D.C. Council and Congress.
“A lot of what we’re experiencing right now is of no fault of local District of Columbia government,” McDuffie said. “This is decisions that are made on a federal level that affect the local economy. And when you talk about the prospect of developing 175 acres of land, you’re talking about economic growth. You’re talking about generating our city’s bottom line, and that gets me excited.
“A stadium could be a great anchor, should be a for this project, but we’re not just simply talking about a stadium,” McDuffie said. “We’re talking about housing, affordable housing. We’re talking about jobs.”
Separate legislation ready to go to Council would iron out development and use details for the site, including zoning.
Zoning will be a big issue going forward. A group of residents wants a voter initiative on the ballot blocking a stadium by restricting what can be built on the site.
The Commanders have been looking for a new stadium for years, considering locations in D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
A potential return to D.C. has included efforts by Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to lobby lawmakers to pass legislation transferring the land from the federal government to D.C. It made it through Congress at the eleventh hour, and former President Joe Biden signed it in early January.
The Commanders' lease at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, runs through 2027.
The team played at RFK Stadium from 1961-96 before moving to Maryland. Harris and several co-owners grew up as Washington football fans during that era, which included three Super Bowl championships from 1982-91.
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