The looming departure of Commanders owner Daniel Snyder could open plenty of doors for the team. Specifically, it could open the door for a return to the site of RFK Stadium.
According to the Washington Post, House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is planning to introduce legislation that “could ultimately allow D.C.” to build a stadium for the Commanders or another mixed-use development project on the site of RFK Stadium. This would go a long way toward getting the team back in D.C., as it looks for a new place to play home games.
Per the report, a spokesperson for the Committee confirmed that the legislation is being prepared. It would allow D.C. to develop the site, but it would not result in a sale of the land from the federal government to D.C.
Currently, D.C. and Maryland and Virginia are jostling for the chance to land the Commanders. Snyder’s exit makes welcoming the franchise much more palatable than it had been.
The National Park Service has leased the RFK Stadium site to D.C. under an agreement that runs through 2038. One source said a stadium-development deal would extend the lease by 99 years.
The NFL’s owners are due to meet on July 20, with a vote on approving the sale of the Commanders to Josh Harris. Once Harris takes over, opportunities for a new stadium could begin falling into place, primarily because Harris is not Daniel Snyder.