Senate Committee Advances Bill to Transfer Control of RFK Stadium to District of Columbia

A view of Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy Stadium in Wahington on June 12, 2002. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—A Senate committee advanced a bill on Nov. 19 to transfer control of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia, setting up the possibility of the NFL’s Washington Commanders to move back to the nation’s capital from Maryland.

The vote in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee was 17–2.

The Commanders celebrated the development.

“Today’s result is an exciting and significant step forward for the city of Washington D.C. as it looks to gain long-term control of the RFK site,” a team spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

The team is looking for a new home as its stadium lease in Maryland is set to expire in 2027. Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia are candidates for a new stadium.

The bill will have to pass the full Senate floor. Whether there will be a floor vote is to be determined.

The bill passed the House of Representatives in February in a 348–55 vote.

The bill would require the Interior secretary to transfer administrative jurisdiction from the federal government to the District of Columbia no later than 180 days following the enactment of the legislation. The district would have the lease of the 174-acre property for at least 99 years and would be responsible for all costs regarding the transfer of the property.

The district would be able to use the property to have a stadium, training facilities, offices, residential and commercial buildings, parking spaces, and public outdoor spaces. At least 30 percent of the land will be known as the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Park, which would include open spaces and parks.

The district would be able to demolish the stadium, which is in poor condition. It was closed in 2019.

However, the district must ensure that the development of the property does not negatively affect lands owned by the National Park Service. It also cannot obstruct the Anacostia River Trail.

The district would also be responsible for ensuring that the campus does not contribute to a lot of noise and traffic in the surrounding area.

Finally, the district would be required to conduct a boundary survey of the campus to “determine the exact acreage and legal description of the campus.”

The survey would be submitted to the House Oversight and Natural Resources committees, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The Commanders are in the middle of a resurgence after several years of below-average seasons. The team is 7–4 behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.