RFK Stadium hearing at D.C. Council draws hundreds of residents
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Hundreds of D.C. residents sounded off about the RFK Stadium redevelopment plan at a public hearing on Tuesday.
The big picture: Many were excited about the economic opportunity and nostalgic for a Commanders return, while others urged lawmakers to reject public subsidies for a billionaire-owned sports team.
State of play: Supporters said that beyond an NFL stadium, the project would bring needed investment and amenities to an eastern portion of D.C., including homes and a youth sports complex.
- The 190-acre redevelopment is spread over six districts, with 6,000 homes envisioned to be built over a decade.
What they're saying: "It is a great opportunity," Villareal Johnson, president of a civic association in Hill Crest, said of the $1 billion taxpayer investment and the $2.7 billion the Commanders are committing to the stadium.
- But like others in Ward 7 — which stretches from the RFK site to across the Anacostia River — Johnson said he wants guarantees that locals will get jobs on the site: "We want to make sure this isn't just a pipe dream."
The other side: Activists raised concerns about pollution to the Anacostia River, and called on the Commanders to commit to protections and investments to clean up the waterway.
- Frazer Walton, president of a civic association in the adjacent Kingman Park neighborhood, said he opposed the construction of three parking garages.
- "We don't want these automobiles. We want a Metro station built at Benning [Road] and Oklahoma Avenue," Walton told council members.
Between the lines: Tuesday's hearing took place a week after Council Chair Phil Mendelson announced the details of a renegotiated package with the Commanders, saying it had $779 million in improvements for the District.
- But Mendelson is yet to fully release the new deal's terms, drawing criticism.
- "Several hundred Washingtonians spent hours testifying about a bill the public won't see until [Thursday]," testified Zachary Israel, an opponent of the stadium.
- Mendelson's spokesperson told Axios the council meets at noon on Friday to vote on the deal, and the text is expected to be publicized 24 hours before that.
What's ahead: Another day of hearings on Wednesday, when Commanders officials are expected to speak.
- While council members will vote on the deal Friday, a final vote is due in the fall.