Looking back: How the Commanders’ RFK stadium deal came together in 2025
This story is part of WTOP’s series “Five stories that defined the DC-area in 2025.” You can hear it on air all this week and read it online.
This year brought a touchdown for Washington Commanders fans hoping to see the team return to the nation’s capital.
The scoring drive began in January, when President Joe Biden signed a bill transferring control of the 180-acre RFK Stadium campus to D.C. After the signing, deal-making continued behind the scenes between D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration and the Commanders.
Then, on April 28, the plan to construct a new stadium for the team at the site was revealed to D.C. and the wider sports world.
“We want to bring the Commanders home with our new RFK,” team owner Josh Harris said.
On the table was a $3.7 billion redevelopment plan that would bring a 65,000-seat stadium with a roof, mixed retail, entertainment and housing to the RFK site. Under the plan, the team would invest $2.7 billion, and the city pledged about $1.1 billion for stadium infrastructure and surrounding redevelopment, with its opening set for 2030.
Officials said the project would be a good deal for D.C., but residents and the D.C. Council needed to be on board to make the ambitious plan a reality.
Early challenges and missed deadlines
The mayor and team set a mid-July deadline for the council to pass the deal, but out of the starting gate, it was clear it didn’t have the votes.
Among those initially critical of the project due to its price tag was D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson.
“The deal that the mayor submitted to the council was one that had very little revenue actually coming to the city’s general coffers. Revenues that would be generated from taxes and fees related to the stadium were either going to go back to the stadium or actually were sort of being waived. And that gave members a lot of pause,” Mendelson told WTOP.
When mid-July came around, the council had missed the deadline tied to an exclusive negotiation window. The council scheduled public hearings to gather more input on the deal and its costs. Lawmakers said they needed more time to review the term sheet and funding commitments before a final vote.
The deadline also came as the council awaited 2026’s budget and an updated current-year budget after Congress withheld $1 billion in funding collected from D.C. taxpayers.
A revised deal and new momentum
On July 24, Mendelson announced a reworked agreement that increased expected city benefits.
The revisions outlined $414 million in revenue over 30 years, $260 million from non-stadium event parking, and a $20 million-a-year transportation fund for Metro and road work. The package also detailed housing and parkland across the RFK campus and set the first and second votes for Aug. 1 and Sept. 17.
With a voting schedule in place, negotiations intensified behind the scenes. Mendelson and At-Large Council member Kenyan McDuffie led talks for the council.
“The chairman and I put in a lot of hours. I had a lot of early mornings and late nights. But it was ultimately because I am an optimist. I believe in the future of Washington, D.C., and I believe that this project is going to help transform an area of Washington, D.C., that’s remained dormant for quite some time,” McDuffie said.
Looming over it all was the threat of President Donald Trump’s involvement, after he posted on social media calling on the team to revert to its old name.
Public hearings and first vote
Heading into the first vote, marathon hearings drew hundreds of speakers. Many residents voiced worries about traffic congestion and parking impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, and some argued the deal favored billionaires instead of addressing pressing needs, such as housing and social services.
The council also heard from team President Mark Clouse.
“This is a historic moment and one of extraordinary opportunity. Together, we can deliver the fastest and surest transformation of the RFK site into something that brings people together, drives growth and shows what’s possible when public purpose and private commitment align,” Clouse said in July.
Mayor Bowser called the project a “BFD,” short for “big f—ing deal,” during her testimony.
On Aug. 1, the council voted 9-3 to move the legislation forward, citing added transit investment, environmental standards and clearer protections in the timeline.
Final vote and last-minute drama
The members who opposed the deal were At-Large Council member Robert White, Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau and Ward 3’s Matthew Frumin. They pointed to concerns about housing safeguards and public subsidies.
The vote sent the measure to a final reading in September, with additional tweaks discussed in the days that followed.
The council returned Sept. 17 for a meeting that saw lengthy negotiations behind closed doors and a scathing letter from Clouse, who claimed the team was presented with “unworkable and impractical” last-minute additions.
Despite the drama, the votes to pass the deal were there, with some final amendments, and the legislation cleared its second and final hurdle.
Some of those amendments added new taxes on parking and merchandise revenue, as well as penalties for missed deadlines on delivering housing, including affordable units.
What’s next for RFK
“It’s pretty amazing that we were able to get it to the council as quickly as we did. We had our first vote in less than 60 days from when we’d gotten the proposal,” Chairman Mendelson said.
But he said work with the team led to a deal that got more votes of support than expected, passing with an 11-2 vote, when, Mendelson admitted, he expected a final vote of 10-3.
“The Commanders deal is a big deal in sending a signal to the larger business community that the District is a good place to do business,” Mendelson said.
McDuffie agreed, telling WTOP the project also delivers for the city and its residents.
“Despite some of the challenges that we’re seeing from the Commanders on the field this year, Washington, D.C., residents are winning. We’ve scored a touchdown by getting the Commanders to move back to the District of Columbia and make the largest private investment in D.C.’s history in rebuilding a stadium that’s going to exist on the old RFK campus,” McDuffie said.
“This was always about more than just a stadium. This was about a win for Washington, D.C., residents and Washington, D.C., small businesses,” he said, adding that revisions increased value for taxpayers.
He said the additional $779 million will accrue for D.C. taxpayers “as a result of the revisions that we made,” noting the $50 million community benefits agreement and higher local contracting goals.
McDuffie said engagement with neighbors is ongoing.
“Their input can be seen in every aspect of this deal,” he said. “Those conversations continue almost daily.”
Construction timeline
Looking ahead, he said a venue with a roof will bring events beyond football.
“We’re talking about all types of world-class events happening at a facility that will have a roof,” McDuffie said.
He also emphasized limits on the city’s exposure.
“The cost overruns are going to be on the team, not Washington, D.C. We have limited the amount of money that the District of Columbia is going to be responsible for,” McDuffie said.
Demolition of the iconic RFK Stadium continues, with thousands of tons of steel, brick and plastic being removed from the site. The goal is to turn the current stadium into a lot of sand by fall 2026 so construction can begin.
Mendelson said his biggest concern now is the possibility of delays in the completion of some portions of the redevelopment plan.
“I’m not so worried that the stadium will be delayed, but the overall development could take longer than folks want. I don’t think at this point it’s going to fall apart. I just don’t think that’s going to happen,” Mendelson said. “But there could be a lot of unforeseen obstacles that pop up that will need to be addressed.”
The stadium is expected to be complete by 2030, but other development will follow as plans go through federal approval and D.C. zoning requirements.
As for the latest sign of progress, the Commanders recently named HKS as the lead architect for the new RFK stadium, a firm known for designing iconic venues, such as SoFi Stadium and AT&T Stadium, which is a clear signal the project is moving from plans to reality.