The D.C. Council will hold public hearings Tuesday and Wednesday on legislation to bring the Washington Commanders to D.C. with a new stadium at the old RFK Stadium site.

The D.C. Council will hold public hearings Tuesday and Wednesday on legislation to bring the Washington Commanders to D.C. with a new stadium at the old RFK Stadium site. A first vote on the deal is expected Friday.

The new stadium is projected to cost $3.7 billion, including the development of 6,000 housing units — of which 1,800 will be designated as affordable housing — and retail space and parkland across the 174-acre RFK campus.

The District would contribute $1 billion, while the team would fund the remaining $2.7 billion.

If the deal passes a first vote, a final vote is expected in September. Demolition and construction could begin by 2026, with the stadium potentially opening by 2030 if it gets the green light.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser first announced a stadium deal with the Commanders in April, with a July 15 deadline for council approval. But concerns from council members, including D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, led to a delay and a renegotiation of terms with the team.

Under the revised proposal, Mendelson’s office estimates $414 million in revenue for D.C. over a period of 30 years, and another $260 million from revenue collected via non-stadium event day parking.

Mendelson’s office also announced a transportation improvement fund to the tune of $20 million per year. That money would fund any “Metro and highway enhancements” for the stadium site. Mendelson said the funds could go toward a second Metro station in the neighborhood to address future capacity issues.

During the scheduled hearings, the council is sure to hear impassioned testimony from supporters and opponents of the deal.

“I expect that a lot of the testimony is going to be very simple. We think it’s great the Commanders are coming back, and we want you to vote yes,” Mendelson said. “I think we will also hear from some folks that they think that any kind of subsidy is unacceptable to them.”

One opposition group, “Homes Not Stadiums,” is even pushing to establish a ballot initiative that aims to restrict the mayor from leasing or licensing the RFK Stadium land.

There’s also the threat of resistance from the federal government. President Donald Trump has said he may disrupt the deal if the Washington Commanders don’t return to their previous name, which was considered offensive to Native Americans.

In posts on X, Mayor Bowser said, “RFK isn’t just about a stadium,” and “DC wants the Commanders home.”

Council member Robert White also said in a post on X, “We all want football back at RFK, but not if D.C. residents pay the price.”

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