By Ashleigh Fields
Special to the AFRO
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK Stadium) is now under the control of District officials.
President Joe Biden officially signed the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act into law on Jan. 6, granting District leaders control of the 177 acres that encompass RFK Stadium. The new law gives control of the stadium to D.C. officials for the next 99 years.
The Senate sent the bill to Biden following a vote in a late night session that stretched into Dec. 21. The legislation stemmed from a bill proposed by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Rep. James Comer (R-KY). The two legislators worked together to craft a plan that will open the site up to commercial and residential development in addition to stadium usage.
The bill requires D.C. to reserve 30 percent of the campus for parks and open space and prohibits D.C. developers from building along the waterfront.
“After a long and difficult fight, D.C. can finally decide for itself what to do with the largest unused tract of land remaining in the District. I look forward to seeing the site transformed from crumbling blight to a productive and bustling complex that will generate significant revenue for the nation’s capital,” Norton said in a statement following the bill’s approval.
“Throughout my career in Congress, I’ve prioritized transferring unused federal land to D.C. or the private sector, enabling the redevelopment of neighborhoods, generating tax revenue and bringing much-needed space to the District,” she added. “Thank you to Rep. Comer for his partnership on this bill this Congress.”
Comer echoed Norton’s sentiments following years of advocacy from D.C. leaders urging the federal government to allow the local municipality to control the land.
“The Senate’s passage of the D.C. RFK Stadium Campus Revitalization Act is a historic moment for our nation’s capital. If Congress failed to act today, this decaying land in Washington would continue to cost taxpayers a fortune to maintain,” Comer stated.
“Revitalizing this RFK Memorial Stadium site has been a top economic priority for the city, and I am proud to have partnered with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to get this bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) stood proudly alongside President Biden as he signed the bill promising to bring Washingtonians new opportunities under the legislation.
“It is a good day for D.C. when we finally have control of our own destiny at the RFK campus. We are ready and optimistic about unlocking the full potential of this space, and with more than 170 acres of land we can do it all – deliver housing, economic opportunity, green space, recreation, sports, and more,” Bowser said after her meeting with the commander-in-chief.
“This moment is the result of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration, and bipartisan leadership. We extend our gratitude to President Biden, Representative James Comer, and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton for their crucial support in ensuring this bill’s success.”
The latest movement in the saga of RFK Stadium gives hope to locals looking for the Washington Commanders NFL team to call the space in the District “home.”
Currently, the team has been playing in Landover, Md. at Northwest Stadium, what was formerly known as FedEx Field. The team’s contract to play at the Maryland location will end in 2027. The Washington Commanders had 12 wins this season, as of Jan. 7, and made the playoffs for the first time in four years.
“President Biden’s signature of the ‘D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act’ is a big win for Washington, D.C. and its residents. Washington can finally move forward on a new vision for the RFK site,” said representatives of the team via their X (Twitter) account. “We look forward to being a part of that conversation as we evaluate a future home for the Washington Commanders.”