Bowser believes she has votes for RFK Stadium deal after marathon hearing
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Commanders committed to allowing the Fields at RFK to remain open during construction. Photo: Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Mayor Muriel Bowser believes there are enough "yes" votes on the D.C. Council to pass the $1.1 billion taxpayer-funded RFK Stadium redevelopment deal, calling her potentially legacy-defining project a "BFD."
The big picture: Bowser's confidence follows a marathon public hearing on Wednesday, where some council members grilled her and Commanders execs but most offered constructive feedback instead of opposition.
- And it comes after the team outlined its $50 million community benefits offer, which aims to invest in communities in Northeast and east of the Anacostia River, and promises job training for underserved residents and returning citizens.
State of play: Lawmakers will vote on the package Friday, and several have said they appreciate improvements made to the deal over the past few weeks.
- But a flurry of tweaks is still expected ahead to iron out council members' lingering concerns.
Those include:
- Traffic at the site of a 65,000-seater stadium,
- Neighborhood displacement, and
- Whether D.C. residents will be prioritized for the project's construction jobs.
What they're saying: "I do not believe we can or should pass a bill without a plan to protect the residents surrounding the RFK site from displacement," said Council member Robert White.
By the numbers: Commanders president Mark Clouse told lawmakers there would be 14,000 jobs during the stadium's construction, and the hiring of D.C. residents would be prioritized through labor agreements.
- Clouse said there's an opportunity "to hire people for lifelong careers," referring to post-project jobs in maintenance and operations.
Several lawmakers were concerned that the proposed 8,000 parking spaces would incentivize driving, leading to congestion.
- Bowser, who also testified, cautioned the council from immediately committing taxpayer dollars toward a new infill Metro station, which would help ease rider demand.
- She said it's possible that Metro or other regional jurisdictions could help pay toward its construction.
The intrigue: The hours-long meeting featured sharp debate at times, but also enthusiasm for the direction of the deal.
- "There's been a number of conversations ... that I think have resulted in a better deal today than what was originally proposed, and I appreciate the collaboration throughout that process," said Council member Kenyan McDuffie.
Before the hearing gavelled, the Commanders sent a letter to council members outlining the team's promise to spend $50 million over 30 years toward youth sports, grocery subsidies in Ward 7, local business incentives, and more.
- Another commitment says the team, which is investing $2.7 billion, will cover "all cost overruns" for the stadium and parking projects.
What we're watching: Critical lawmakers pushed the Commanders to relocate their company headquarters from College Park, Maryland into the District.
- Clouse said they would keep the door open on a move, but didn't offer a commitment.
- "That wouldn't fly in any other state," Council member White said of the Maryland HQ. "And that's not fair to D.C. residents."