D.C. Council delays vote on Commanders stadium as budget battle continues

WASHINGTON – The back and forth over a new Commanders stadium continues. 

Mayor Muriel Bowser has demanded the D.C. Council pass the deal next month. But now,Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is introducing a proposal to remove the stadium deal from the city’s budget bill.

What we know:

Originally, the mayor had included the Commanders stadium in her 2026 budget. But that budget was delayed by a week because of a tug of war with Congress, which reduced the District’s spending levels. Now, with the Council playing catch-up with the budget, the chairman says he’s keeping the money for the stadium, but it will now be its own separate bill.

“The votes and fight to get to the Nationals was also closely watched, I’ll say. But nobody, nobody would question now how great the Washington [Nationals] have been for Washington, D.C.,” said Bowser. 

What’s next:

The Commanders deal called for it to be approved by July 15. 

But speaking to FOX 5, Mendelson said that timetable is not achievable due to the work on the budget and the due diligence the Council needed to pay the stadium.

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