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RFK Stadium bill appears in jeopardy as GOP opposition to government funding bill grows
Just a day after the passage of the RFK Stadium bill — which would transfer ownership of the stadium site over to D.C. — appeared certain, the tides may be changing as Republican opposition to the larger spending bill that the legislation is tucked into grows.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Just a day after the passage of the RFK Stadium bill — which would transfer ownership of the stadium site over to D.C. — appeared certain, the tides may be changing as Republican opposition to the larger spending bill that the legislation is tucked into grows.
The RFK Stadium bill is included in a must-pass continuing resolution to fund the government that still requires House and Senate approval. The bill is a crucial step for a potential Commanders return to D.C.
Fox News reported Wednesday evening that there would be no more votes in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is significant because it was expected that the House was set to decide on this bill at some point Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
Republican opposition has grown after the bill was released Tuesday night.
A short time ago, President-Elect Donald Trump came out with a statement saying he wants a "streamlined spending bill instead of the current continuing resolution."
As it relates to the RFK campus transfer, a source in the Mayor’s Office tells FOX 5 they’re closely monitoring these developments on Capitol Hill.
If it passes, we’d be looking at a pretty unique situation for a sports franchise relocating with three jurisdictions — D.C., Maryland and Virginia — all vying for a new stadium.
Melinda Roth is a sports law professor at George Washington University. She expects a competitive process which will include offers of public money in some capacity.
"It’s going to be incredibly likely that to compete, Maryland and Virginia, their package to compete will include public money," Roth said. "So, is Josh Harris and his partners, are they going to be willing to fully fund this? It’s going to be very unlikely if they’ve got competing offers that don’t force them to do it."
Roth says D.C.’s path to public funding is arguably the most challenging.
Budgets are not infinite, it’s the smallest of the three jurisdictions, and we’ve heard from D.C. Councilmembers, who would ultimately have to approve the deal, say they are not in favor of public money being used to fund a stadium.
Mayor Bowser told me a plan for the site has been in the works for years and coming up with a good deal for the District that includes housing, economic development and potentially a stadium that’s also a good deal for taxpayers is a priority.
FOX 5 asked if that would include public money.
"The District will invest at RFK, just as we do for all of our large parcels and we’re going to invest at RFK whether there’s a stadium there or not and it will likely be in the form of infrastructure," Mayor Bowser said.
The context of that remark: the District has utilized economic developments plans before that create the infrastructure needed to support new projects.
Bowser says no specific plans or costs have been finalized but she wants a new stadium in D.C.
There was no response from the Commanders Wednesday but they have previously said they’re fortunate to have interest from three jurisdictions.