ASHBURN, Va. — On April 28, Washington Commanders proprietor Josh Harris addressed a bunch of reporters shortly after hanging one of many greatest offers in current franchise historical past.
Harris — seated in a darkish swimsuit alongside D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell — with a burgundy Commanders pin on his lapel, wore the expression of an athlete who had simply received an enormous sport.
Earlier than the questions even started, the Maryland native who grew up a fan of the staff he purchased from earlier proprietor Dan Snyder for a then-record $6.05 billion in 2023 smiled as he gripped the bottom of the microphone stationed on the desk in entrance of him and leaned in to talk.
“What an incredible day,” Harris mentioned, earlier than clearing his throat. “It is a fantastic day in our course of to convey the Commanders dwelling.”
Shifting away from Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, and bringing the Commanders dwelling was the rationale all events had gathered that day. Hours earlier than, the staff and the District of Columbia had introduced an settlement to construct a brand new 65,000-seat stadium on the outdated RFK Stadium website within the metropolis. From 1961 to 1996, it had served because the non secular dwelling for Washington soccer’s glory days, internet hosting groups that received 5 convention titles and three Tremendous Bowls whereas changing into one of many NFL’s marquee franchises.
For Harris, who grew up attending video games at RFK, bringing Washington again to the location was about reconnecting it to that storied previous whereas additionally making an attempt to clean away the recollections of the earlier 24 years when underneath the stewardship of Snyder — a interval that featured extra title modifications and congressional investigations than playoff seasons. The April announcement marked a significant step towards making that dream a actuality.
To make use of a soccer analogy, that April take care of the town gave the Commanders’ return to RFK first-and-goal from 10 yards out.
On Friday, the method Harris spoke about was pushed over the road when the D.C. council voted to approve the stadium and plans for the 174-acre website. It must vote once more on Sept. 17, however a number of sources from either side with data of the method mentioned that can nearly assuredly simply be a affirmation of the primary vote.
That is why Harris, Bowser — who has championed this return for greater than a decade — the town and Commanders followers are actually celebrating a Washington triumph that was nearly three years within the making.
The brand new stadium, which is able to open in 2030, will characterize the subsequent — and maybe most long-lasting — step within the franchise’s renaissance underneath Harris and his possession group, which is why Harris appeared so happy when chatting with reporters alongside Bowers and Goodell final spring.
“For me, it is recollections,” Harris mentioned. “A few of my happiest days had been cheering for the outdated staff watching the Tremendous Bowls, watching the greats. For me to have the ability to permit for the town to have the identical pleasure I had rising up that we have been lacking for thus a few years. That is what it comes all the way down to. It is an incredible feeling.”
Here’s a timeline of how Washington’s RFK return turned a actuality:
Nov. 2, 2022: The Snyders’ bombshell announcement
Two weeks after saying they’d no cause to think about promoting the Commanders, homeowners Dan and Tanya Snyder pivoted — arduous — amid strain from fellow NFL homeowners to take action.
The announcement of their intentions to promote the franchise was the most important catalyst, sources from either side with data of the method mentioned, for the franchise’s eventual return to RFK.
When requested if the staff and metropolis could be on this place had Snyder remained in cost, one council member provided a easy reply: “Nope.”
Snyder had not developed relationships with the D.C. authorities throughout his time as proprietor.
Bowser instructed ESPN in December that “there have been lots of objections raised to the earlier possession and the path they took the staff.”
A number of former staff officers mentioned Maryland remained a robust choice for a brand new stadium, even with Snyder, and Virginia would have labored with him, too. However attending to the district was not an choice with him as an proprietor, based on staff, metropolis and council sources concerned.
Nov. 9, 2022: A Home overhaul modifications Washington’s fortunes
A change in management within the U.S. Home of Representatives opened the door for progress on the stadium website.
The Home Oversight Committee, which had been led by the Democrats, had spent the earlier 12 months investigating the group for its office tradition underneath Snyder, however the tide turned when Republicans received the Home on Nov. 8 and James Comer (R-Kentucky) turned the chairman of the committee, which oversees D.C.
“The Dems’ model of Congress was a nonstarter for us going to Capitol Hill,” one former staff official mentioned. “A brand new session of Congress with the prospects of a brand new proprietor free of the entanglement of Congress, we had an actual clear slate.”
Washington staff officers started assembly with members of the Home Committee on Pure Sources in addition to the Senate Vitality and Pure Sources Committee. In the meantime, Comer and Bowser developed a robust relationship. Throughout their first assembly, Bowser knowledgeable him of her plans to revitalize the RFK website, which in fact included a stadium.
After the listening to, Comer instructed Bowser he would assist her get a brand new “area” constructed, however he meant a stadium.
“That location has sat deteriorating over years,” one oversight committee aide mentioned. “It was a great alternative to revitalize that vacant land; there was a push there on the time due to taxpayers’ upkeep prices on that land. It was a possibility to get that off the books.”
In July 2023, Comer launched a invoice, co-sponsored by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), to do what the mayor had needed: convey the Commanders again to the town. Comer remained concerned all through the method.
July 21, 2023: Josh Harris buys the Commanders
Inside every week of shopping for the staff, Harris met with Bowser in her workplace, together with minority homeowners Mitch Rales and Mark Ein and their former vp of public affairs, Joe Maloney, in addition to Bev Perry, a senior adviser to the mayor. Rales and Ein had finished quite a few enterprise dealings within the district over time, and had been well-known and revered.
However as one individual within the assembly mentioned, they weren’t there to start out brokering a stadium deal. The assembly, which lasted almost an hour, was described as extra a listening session for Harris as Bowser mentioned her love of the franchise and her need for the staff to return.
One participant mentioned the vibe was “heat, enthusiasm, pleasure. It felt like the whole lot you hoped for and needed in that second occurred.”
After that session, Harris, Ein and Rales went to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s workplace for one more assembly. Their purpose, a number of sources current mentioned, was merely to start out growing relationships.
Bowser mentioned Harris’ arrival — plus the staff lastly successful — would result in strengthened assist by district residents for a stadium. She mentioned residents had been “supportive of the staff itself with the brand new management.”
Dec. 21, 2024: A congressional Hail Mary will get accomplished
Two months after finishing a Hail Mary to beat the Chicago Bears, the Commanders benefited from one other one on Capitol Hill. This time, as an alternative of an NFL opponent, they defeated the aftereffects of an Elon Musk tweet.
Congress was going to lease the federal land the place the stadium could be constructed to the town for 99 years. It was going to be included in a seamless decision invoice that Congress would vote on later within the week. However, on Dec. 18, Musk retweeted a tweet that included a headline about $3 billion for a brand new stadium in D.C. Musk mentioned in his retweet, “This shouldn’t be funded by your tax {dollars}!”
No federal cash was ever a part of the bundle. The injury, although, was finished.
“It nearly killed the entire thing,” one former staff official mentioned. “We thought it was useless. [Congress members] knew it wasn’t true, however there was a lot warmth round this. Folks had been saying, ‘Sorry, it is not value it.'”
That led to, as this official referred to as it, every week of political whack-a-mole as they tried to get the land switch restored to the CR invoice. The Commanders had “three or 4” folks on Capitol Hill lobbying for its inclusion. They didn’t have the homeowners visiting senators, fearing the visibility of billionaires lobbying politicians would add extra gasoline to Musk’s tweet. However Harris and Ein did make calls to these with whom they’d a relationship.
With 24 hours left earlier than Congress adjourned, the Commanders pivoted from the CR invoice to making an attempt to move it by means of unanimous consent — 100 senators must be in favor. Only one objection and their RFK quest would die.
“Plenty of last-minute offers to ensure folks did not present as much as say, ‘no,'” one high-ranking staff supply mentioned.
Comer was headed dwelling, however he phoned U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), who was a possible holdout, from Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Airport. Comer defined why he thought it was a “good conservative invoice” and why he led it, one supply with data of the committee’s dealings mentioned.
Round 1:15 a.m. on Dec. 21, Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-New York, launched the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act on the ground. He requested for it to be handed by unanimous consent. A lot of different unanimous consent proposals failed that evening.
This one didn’t.
“It was like must-watch TV,” a Home oversight aide mentioned. “I do not assume I ever watched the senate ground at 2 a.m. earlier than, nevertheless it was positively one second I look again on and can keep in mind for a really very long time.”
April 28, 2025: ‘Going dwelling’
After months of talks, one of many worst-kept secrets and techniques was introduced to a lot pomp and circumstance: The staff and the town had struck a deal for them to construct a stadium. A information convention with a number of hundred folks featured Bowser, Harris and Goodell. Music performed. Burgundy and gold was seen all through the room; highlights from Washington’s previous at RFK Stadium performed on a big display. A number of previous dignitaries, together with Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, attended.
The staff mentioned it might make investments $2.7 billion to construct the stadium; the town would chip in $1 billion by means of numerous means to develop the 174-acre property — with housing, a sports activities complicated and retail outlets.
“With out exaggeration,” Harris mentioned, “this would be the greatest stadium within the nation when it is constructed.”
“To have a stadium that brings their staff again into D.C., that is a very massive step and one thing that is been nice for the NFL,” mentioned Goodell, who additionally used to attend video games at RFK Stadium.
Washington senior adviser Doug Williams, who turned the primary Black quarterback to win a Tremendous Bowl when he led the franchise to a title after the 1987 season, added, “We’re bringing the stadium again the place it must be. It is identical to going dwelling.”
July 20, 2025: The commander in chief threatens the deal
President Donald Trump threatened to intervene and power the Commanders to alter their title again to their unique one or he’d scuttle the stadium deal.
The staff didn’t need to touch upon his statements, and the mayor took a diplomatic tone. Sources from the staff, the mayor’s workplace and the council echoed the identical chorus: No one needed to check Trump’s resolve on this situation. They solely needed to get the deal authorised. Bowser had developed a working relationship with Trump, having flown to Mar-A-Lago in January and attended a information convention in Might to announce the NFL holding the 2027 draft in D.C.
“I’ve had the chance to talk on a few totally different events with the president about this website and about our staff,” she instructed ESPN final month. “And I can say this with out equivocation: He’s a Jayden Daniels fan, and he mentioned himself, and the presser we had been at, that that is in all probability one of the best website of any website he is seen for a stadium. I’ve to assume that that is what I’ve heard him say, and that is what we’ll follow.”
July 23, 2025: D.C. council paves approach for Aug. 1 vote
Council chair Mendelson reached an settlement with the Commanders to change the monetary phrases of the stadium deal, which one member of the group referred to as “a major step.” Mendelson mentioned the revised settlement would internet the town round $779 million, whether or not from earnings or financial savings. Mendelson had lengthy expressed issues, however this settlement paved the way in which for the primary vote on Aug. 1.
It got here after extra relationship-building. On June 30, Ein and staff president Mark Clouse met with eight members of the D.C. council in an upstairs room at Café Milano in Georgetown.
One council member mentioned they didn’t focus on specifics of the deal. Nonetheless, that individual mentioned, it turned apparent that “this was not an everyday run-of-the-mill transaction” they had been concerned in.
“They’ve a soul tie to the district. For me, that was the primary time I used to be like, ‘OK, you are not simply jerking us round like, “We’re additionally speaking to Virginia or Maryland.”‘ It was very clear that is the place they needed to be and had lots of causes for it; lots was tied to non-public dedication to the town and recollections,” they mentioned.
July 29-30, 2025: Public hearings; the deal will get amended
On the first public listening to for the stadium proposal, greater than 500 residents signed as much as testify — one committee member mentioned they could not recall a bigger group. Mendelson grilled Bowser and Clouse on the phrases of the deal. Ultimately the deal was amended, and Mendelson mentioned the brand new settlement would internet the district $674 million extra over the subsequent 30 years. He mentioned one other $55 million in financial savings would come from restructuring how the debt was financed.
After the primary listening to, he instructed reporters he felt there have been the required eight votes to move.
Aug. 1, 2025: The decisive vote
The D.C. council authorised constructing a stadium on the RFK website by a 9-3 vote (it wanted a two-thirds majority). It nonetheless has to vote once more Sept. 17, however one individual near the state of affairs mentioned that, of their decade-plus of working for the council, they haven’t seen a second vote go a distinct approach from the primary.
A number of sources with the staff and council mentioned the council has instructed the staff it may possibly proceed with its planning after this vote, realizing September would function a interval on the finish of a sentence.
Some council members mentioned they had been pushed by the worry of what would occur to the property in the event that they did not vote in favor of this proposal. There was no various plan in place to think about, and so they fearful one other would not come to fruition for some time.
“Congress offers the land and we spend 1 / 4 of it doing nothing?” this member mentioned. “Now we have one thing to show to members of Congress who put their political capital on the road. The choice is we’re nonetheless speaking about this land in 10 years.”
As a substitute, they’re now speaking a couple of franchise returning to the place it had its greatest seasons. Washington pushed for a vote this summer time as a result of, as a lot because the staff needed to return to this website, it additionally needed to open the stadium by 2030 so it could possibly be in consideration to host the Ladies’s World Cup in 2031.
After what the franchise and metropolis went by means of to succeed in this level, something is feasible.