The Washington Commanders might get to go home…or at least that’s how the franchise hopes you’ll see it. DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and team owner Josh Harris announced a $3.7 billion deal yesterday to bring the sports team back to the site of the beloved but crumbling RFK Stadium.
The project, which includes the single largest private investment in DC’s history, could be legacy-making for both Harris and Bowser. The proposed new development, spanning 177 acres, would include housing, retail, and park spaces centered around a brand-new 65,000-seat roofed stadium, which would enable the space to potentially host a Super Bowl.
It’s not a done deal. The Commanders have pledged to shell out $2.7 billion for the new development, while taxpayers would be on the hook for about $1 billion—mostly through an extension of the Ballpark Fee, a tax imposed on local businesses that was expected to expire in 2026. And some members of the DC Council, which must sign off on the project, have already spoken out against using public funds for a stadium.
Big picture: While most economists agree that sports stadiums are a bad use of public funds, taxpayers across the US have spent around $30 billion on them over the last three decades. Some taxpayers aren’t on board: Missouri voters, for example, rejected a Chiefs and Royals stadium tax last year.—MM