-
John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. — On April 28, Washington Commanders proprietor Josh Harris addressed a bunch of reporters shortly after placing one of many greatest offers in current franchise historical past.
Harris — seated in a darkish go well with alongside D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — with a burgundy Commanders pin on his lapel, wore the expression of an athlete who had simply received an enormous recreation.
Earlier than the questions even started, the Maryland native who grew up a fan of the workforce he purchased from earlier proprietor Dan Snyder for a then-record $6.05 billion in 2023 smiled as he gripped the bottom of the microphone stationed on the desk in entrance of him and leaned in to talk.
“What an incredible day,” Harris stated, earlier than clearing his throat. “It is an important day in our course of to deliver the Commanders house.”
Shifting away from Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, and bringing the Commanders house was the explanation all events had gathered that day. Hours earlier than, the workforce and the District of Columbia had introduced an settlement to construct a brand new 65,000-seat stadium on the outdated RFK Stadium web site within the metropolis. From 1961 to 1996, it had served because the non secular house for Washington soccer’s glory days, internet hosting groups that received 5 convention titles and three Tremendous Bowls whereas changing into one of many NFL’s marquee franchises.
For Harris, who grew up attending video games at RFK, bringing Washington again to the positioning was about reconnecting it to that storied previous whereas additionally making an attempt to clean away the recollections of the earlier 24 years when underneath the stewardship of Snyder — a interval that featured extra title adjustments and congressional investigations than playoff seasons. The April announcement marked a significant step towards making that dream a actuality.
To make use of a soccer analogy, that April take care of the town gave the Commanders’ return to RFK first-and-goal from 10 yards out.
On Friday, the method Harris spoke about was pushed over the road when the D.C. Council voted to approve the stadium and plans for the 174-acre web site. It should vote once more on Sept. 17, however a number of sources from each side with information of the method stated that may virtually assuredly simply be a affirmation of the primary vote.
That is why Harris, Bowser — who has championed this return for greater than a decade — the town and Commanders followers are actually celebrating a Washington triumph that was virtually three years within the making.
The brand new stadium, which is able to open in 2030, will symbolize the subsequent — and maybe most long-lasting — step within the franchise’s renaissance underneath Harris and his possession group, which is why Harris seemed so happy when talking to reporters alongside Bowers and Goodell final spring.
“For me, it is recollections,” Harris stated. “A few of my happiest days have been cheering for the outdated workforce watching the Tremendous Bowls, watching the greats. For me to have the ability to permit for the town to have the identical pleasure I had rising up that we have been lacking for thus a few years. That is what it comes all the way down to. It is an incredible feeling.”
Here’s a timeline of how Washington’s RFK return turned a actuality:
Nov. 2, 2022: The Snyders’ bombshell announcement
Two weeks after saying they’d no motive to think about promoting the Commanders, house owners Dan and Tanya Snyder pivoted — laborious — amid strain from fellow NFL house owners to take action.
The announcement of their intentions to promote the franchise was the most important catalyst, sources from each side with information of the method stated, for the franchise’s eventual return to RFK.
When requested if the workforce and metropolis could be on this place had Snyder remained in cost, one council member supplied a easy reply: “Nope.”
Snyder had not developed relationships with the D.C. authorities throughout his time as proprietor.
Bowser informed ESPN in December that “there have been loads of objections raised to the earlier possession and the course they took the workforce.”
A number of former workforce officers stated Maryland remained a powerful possibility for a brand new stadium, even with Snyder, and Virginia would have labored with him, too. However attending to the district was not an possibility with him as an proprietor, in keeping with workforce, metropolis and council sources concerned.
Nov. 9, 2022: A Home overhaul adjustments Washington’s fortunes
A change in management within the U.S. Home of Representatives opened the door for progress on the stadium web site.
The Home Oversight Committee, which had been led by the Democrats, had spent the earlier 12 months investigating the group for its office tradition underneath Snyder, however the tide turned when Republicans received the Home on Nov. 8 and James Comer (R-Kentucky) turned the chairman of the committee, which oversees D.C.
“The Dems’ model of Congress was a nonstarter for us going to Capitol Hill,” one former workforce official stated. “A brand new session of Congress with the prospects of a brand new proprietor free of the entanglement of Congress, we had an actual clear slate.”
Washington workforce officers started assembly with members of the Home Committee on Pure Assets in addition to the Senate Vitality and Pure Assets Committee. In the meantime, Comer and Bowser developed a powerful relationship. Throughout their first assembly, Bowser knowledgeable him of her plans to revitalize the RFK web site, which after all included a stadium.
After the listening to, Comer informed Bowser he would assist her get a brand new “enviornment” constructed, however he meant a stadium.
“That location has sat deteriorating over years,” one oversight committee aide stated. “It was a very good alternative to revitalize that vacant land; there was a push there on the time due to taxpayers’ upkeep prices on that land. It was a chance to get that off the books.”
In July 2023, Comer launched a invoice, co-sponsored by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), to do what the mayor had wished: deliver the Commanders again to the town. Comer remained concerned all through the method.
July 21, 2023: Josh Harris buys the Commanders
Inside every week of shopping for the workforce, Harris met with Bowser in her workplace, together with minority house owners Mitch Rales and Mark Ein and their former vp of public affairs, Joe Maloney, in addition to Bev Perry, a senior adviser to the mayor. Rales and Ein had carried out quite a few enterprise dealings within the district through the years, and have been well-known and revered.
However as one particular person within the assembly stated, they weren’t there to start out brokering a stadium deal. The assembly, which lasted practically an hour, was described as extra a listening session for Harris as Bowser mentioned her love of the franchise and her want for the workforce to return.
One participant stated the vibe was “heat, enthusiasm, pleasure. It felt like all the things you hoped for and wished in that second occurred.”
After that session, Harris, Ein and Rales went to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s workplace for one more assembly. Their purpose, a number of sources current stated, was merely to start out creating relationships.
Bowser stated Harris’ arrival — plus the workforce lastly successful — would result in strengthened assist by district residents for a stadium. She stated residents have been “supportive of the workforce itself with the brand new management.”
Dec. 21, 2024: A congressional Hail Mary will get accomplished
Two months after finishing a Hail Mary to beat the Chicago Bears, the Commanders benefited from one other one on Capitol Hill. This time, as a substitute of an NFL opponent, they defeated the aftereffects of an Elon Musk tweet.
Congress was going to lease the federal land the place the stadium could be constructed to the town for 99 years. It was going to be included in a seamless decision invoice that Congress would vote on later within the week. However, on Dec. 18, Musk retweeted a tweet that included a headline about $3 billion for a brand new stadium in D.C. Musk stated in his retweet, “This shouldn’t be funded by your tax {dollars}!”
No federal cash was ever a part of the package deal. The harm, although, was carried out.
“It virtually killed the entire thing,” one former workforce official stated. “We thought it was useless. [Congress members] knew it wasn’t true, however there was a lot warmth round this. Individuals have been saying, ‘Sorry, it is not price it.'”
That led to, as this official known as it, every week of political whack-a-mole as they tried to get the land switch restored to the CR invoice. The Commanders had “three or 4” individuals on Capitol Hill lobbying for its inclusion. They didn’t have the house owners visiting senators, fearing the visibility of billionaires lobbying politicians would add extra gasoline to Musk’s tweet. However Harris and Ein did make calls to these with whom they’d a relationship.
With 24 hours left earlier than Congress adjourned, the Commanders pivoted from the CR invoice to making an attempt to go it via unanimous consent — 100 senators must be in favor. Only one objection and their RFK quest would die.
“Plenty of last-minute offers to verify individuals did not present as much as say, ‘no,'” one high-ranking workforce supply stated.
Comer was headed house, however he phoned U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), who was a possible holdout, from Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Airport. Comer defined why he thought it was a “good conservative invoice” and why he led it, one supply with information of the committee’s dealings stated.
Round 1:15 a.m. on Dec. 21, Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-New York, launched the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act on the ground. He requested for it to be handed by unanimous consent. A variety of different unanimous consent proposals failed that night time.
This one didn’t.
“It was like must-watch TV,” a Home oversight aide stated. “I do not assume I ever watched the senate flooring at 2 a.m. earlier than, however it was undoubtedly one second I look again on and can keep in mind for a really very long time.”
April 28, 2025: ‘Going house’
After months of talks, one of many worst-kept secrets and techniques was introduced to a lot pomp and circumstance: The workforce and the town had struck a deal for them to construct a stadium. A information convention with a number of hundred individuals featured Bowser, Harris and Goodell. Music performed. Burgundy and gold was seen all through the room; highlights from Washington’s previous at RFK Stadium performed on a big display. A number of previous dignitaries, together with Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, attended.
The workforce stated it will make investments $2.7 billion to construct the stadium; the town would chip in $1 billion via numerous means to develop the 174-acre property — with housing, a sports activities advanced and retail retailers.
“With out exaggeration,” Harris stated, “this would be the finest stadium within the nation when it is constructed.”
“To have a stadium that brings their workforce again into D.C., that is a extremely large step and one thing that is been nice for the NFL,” stated Goodell, who additionally used to attend video games at RFK Stadium.
Washington senior adviser Doug Williams, who turned the primary Black quarterback to win a Tremendous Bowl when he led the franchise to a title after the 1987 season, added, “We’re bringing the stadium again the place it must be. It is similar to going house.”
July 20, 2025: The commander in chief threatens the deal
President Donald Trump threatened to intervene and drive the Commanders to alter their title again to their unique one or he’d scuttle the stadium deal.
The workforce didn’t need to touch upon his statements, and the mayor took a diplomatic tone. Sources from the workforce, the mayor’s workplace and the council echoed the identical chorus: No person wished to check Trump’s resolve on this situation. They solely wished to get the deal permitted. Bowser had developed a working relationship with Trump, having flown to Mar-A-Lago in January and attended a information convention in Might to announce the NFL holding the 2027 draft in D.C.
“I’ve had the chance to talk on a few completely different events with the president about this web site and about our workforce,” she informed ESPN final month. “And I can say this with out equivocation: He’s a Jayden Daniels fan, and he stated himself, and the presser we have been at, that that is most likely the perfect web site of any web site he is seen for a stadium. I’ve to assume that that is what I’ve heard him say, and that is what we’ll keep on with.”
July 23, 2025: D.C. Council paves approach for Aug. 1 vote
Council chair Mendelson reached an settlement with the Commanders to change the monetary phrases of the stadium deal, which one member of the group known as “a big step.” Mendelson stated the revised settlement would web the town round $779 million, whether or not from earnings or financial savings. Mendelson had lengthy expressed issues, however this settlement paved the best way for the primary vote on Aug. 1.
It got here after extra relationship-building. On June 30, Ein and workforce president Mark Clouse met with eight members of the D.C. Council in an upstairs room at Café Milano in Georgetown.
One council member stated they didn’t talk about specifics of the deal. Nevertheless, that particular person stated, it turned apparent that “this was not a daily run-of-the-mill transaction” they have been concerned in.
“They’ve a soul tie to the district. For me, that was the primary time I used to be like, ‘OK, you are not simply jerking us round like, “We’re additionally speaking to Virginia or Maryland.”‘ It was very clear that is the place they wished to be and had loads of causes for it; quite a bit was tied to non-public dedication to the town and recollections,” they stated.
July 29-30, 2025: Public hearings; the deal will get amended
On the first public listening to for the stadium proposal, greater than 500 residents signed as much as testify — one committee member stated they could not recall a bigger group. Mendelson grilled Bowser and Clouse on the phrases of the deal. Finally the deal was amended, and Mendelson stated the brand new settlement would web the district $674 million extra over the subsequent 30 years. He stated one other $55 million in financial savings would come from restructuring how the debt was financed.
After the primary listening to, he informed reporters he felt there have been the required eight votes to go.
Aug. 1, 2025: The decisive vote
The D.C. Council permitted constructing a stadium on the RFK web site by a 9-3 vote (it wanted a two-thirds majority). It nonetheless has to vote once more Sept. 17, however one particular person near the scenario stated that, of their decade-plus of working for the council, they haven’t seen a second vote go a unique approach from the primary.
A number of sources with the workforce and council stated the council has informed the workforce it could possibly proceed with its planning after this vote, figuring out September would function a interval on the finish of a sentence.
Some council members stated they have been pushed by the concern of what would occur to the property in the event that they did not vote in favor of this proposal. There was no different plan in place to think about, they usually frightened one other would not come to fruition for some time.
“Congress offers the land and we spend 1 / 4 of it doing nothing?” this member stated. “Now we have one thing to show to members of Congress who put their political capital on the road. The choice is we’re nonetheless speaking about this land in 10 years.”
As a substitute, they’re now speaking a couple of franchise returning to the place it had its finest seasons. Washington pushed for a vote this summer season as a result of, as a lot because the workforce wished to return to this web site, it additionally wished to open the stadium by 2030 so it might be in consideration to host the Ladies’s World Cup in 2031.
After what the franchise and metropolis went via to achieve this level, something is feasible.
