WASHINGTON, DC (WTKR)- Since the 1997 season, what is now Northwest Stadium has been the home of the Washington football franchise, which has held several different names during that time.
The team's best memories, however, reside within the district limits and now a plan is in place to take the burgundy and gold back to the same land as its old home.
The Commanders and Washington mayor Muriel Bowser announced an agreement that will bring the team's new stadium back to the District of Columbia. The venue will be at the site of the current RFK Stadium, which still stands, though it's been vacant for years and is scheduled to be demolished in the near future. The then-Redskins called the stadium home from 1961-1999 and brought three Super Bowl championships to DC during their time at RFK.
"Some of my happiest days were cheering for the old team, watching the Super Bowls, watching all the greats," said Commanders' principal owner Josh Harris. "For me to be able to allow for the city to have the same excitement that I had growing up that we've been missing for so many years, that's really what it comes down to, so it's an amazing feeling."
"This is incredibly powerful for this community," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell added. "For those generations of kids who never got to experience it, they're in for a thrill and I'm proud this had an opportunity to happen while I was still around."
The stadium will cost an estimated $4 billion, with $2.7 billion of those funds coming from the team. $1.147 billion will come from taxpayer money, which must be approved by DC City Council. The city expects that the stadium area will also include hotels, retail space, housing and restaurants. Harris hopes the stadium can open for the 2030 season.
The venue will include a roof, making it more comfortable for fans in weather conditions, such as extreme heat or cold, rain or snow. An enclosed stadium would also make Washington a desirable location for some large events, such as concerts, Final Fours and the city's first Super Bowl, the latter of which has crossed the minds of many on hand Monday.
"I really do think this community could be a great host for a Super Bowl," Goodell noted. "I think the stadium was always that missing piece."
"This is going to be one of the most important stadiums in the world," added Harris. "We needed a roof to be able to attract amazing events. The Super Bowl got thrown out there. Obviously we're working on the commissioner hard."
If the Commanders play a full season at the new stadium in 2030, it would be eligible to host the 2032 Super Bowl, following the 2031 season.
Many fans in Hampton Roads make the three-plus hour trip up to the DC area to take in Washington home games. One of them is Jeff Rinehart, a Virginia Beach resident who was once very active with the Hogfarmers charitable organization. Rinehart is a longtime season ticket holder who sees both pros and cons with the new plan.
"The fans deserve a nice stadium," the lifelong burgundy and gold fan said, noting he's visited a handful of the new football venues across the country. "I'm excited for that aspect of it, but I'm dreading, for one, the traffic. I think that's going to be an issue and then, obviously, the PSL's."
PSL stands for personal seat license, which the NFL requires every season ticket holder to possess. Rinehart noted those can cost anywhere from $750 to north of $75,000, depending on the seat and the stadium. PSL's essentially give fans the right to purchase season tickets for that particular seat. It's another revenue source for the team, but it can provide some benefits for the holder. In addition to buying the season tickets, perks can include discounts on parking or in the team store and priority tickets for postseason games.
Northwest Stadium, which cost $251 million to construct, is located just off I-495 in Landover, Maryland, and has ample parking spaces. Rinehart expressed concern over the traffic in the city and less tailgating space, but overall, he shares in the excitement that a new stadium will bring.
"Long overdue," he smiled. "I will say the ownership group has done a great job putting paint on a pig, I guess you could say, but it's time for those new bells and whistles."
