The D.C. Council missed the deadline to take up a vote on the proposed redevelopment of the RFK Stadium site, putting the future of the $3.7 billion project in jeopardy. Both Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Washington Commanders were hoping for the deal to be approved by Tuesday.
The deadline marked the end of an exclusivity window with the Commanders, who are seeking to return to D.C. The deal would let the NFL franchise build a new stadium, team offices and parking garages at the old RFK Stadium site.
While the council gave preliminary approval to the fiscal year 2026 budget Monday, including $1 billion set aside for the football stadium, it left out language that would have made the term sheet legally binding. A separate bill formalizing the deal is scheduled for public hearings later this month.
Council chair Phil Mendelson said over the weekend that he had held 鈥渁 number of meetings鈥� with team representatives, and described those meetings as 鈥渧ery productive, pleasant and constructive.鈥�
鈥淲e’re working well together. The council is trying to move toward a positive vote on the stadium,鈥� said Mendelson, who called the budget proposal a fair compromise.
Mendelson is among those critical of the 鈥渙verspending鈥� allocated in the budget. Council members said they need more time to review the deal and the spending commitment it would entail.
The council said it 鈥渞ecognizes the once-in-a-generation opportunity the District has to redevelop the RFK campus and bring the Commanders back to their rightful home in the District. However, the committee also recognizes that the Council needs more time to consider the proposed deal, which would commit the District to spending well above $1 billion over the coming decade.鈥�
Council members said in the past they are critical of the quick timeline to pass the deal. Mendelson has made it clear the council does not plan to reconvene during August recess, meaning a final vote may not happen until September.
With , leaders from both D.C. and Maryland are weighing in.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore commented on the ongoing deal, not acknowledging if his state is out of the running, but saying he’s focused on using the designated space in his state for another future project.
鈥淚 am not involved in what’s happening between the Commanders and Washington, D.C.,” Moore said. “My commitment is to making sure this area is going to be better than what it is right now.鈥�
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser saying, in part, 鈥淚 am optimistic that we can work together to pass a final budget that lives up to our D.C. values, grows our economy and does both without adding any additional burdens on taxpayers and business.鈥�
In a news conference Monday, she stressed her commitment to bringing business and industry to the District, and added that 鈥渨ithout the terms of the deal, there is no deal.鈥�
Bowser said there has been no talk of an extension to the deadline.
91欧美激情 has reached out to the Washington Commanders for comment.
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