Sun Nov 24 20:40:00 UTC 2024: ## DC One Step Closer to Landing Commanders with RFK Stadium Bill Passage

**Washington, D.C.** – A crucial step towards potentially bringing the Washington Commanders back to the nation’s capital has been taken. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill granting Washington, D.C. a 99-year lease on the former RFK Stadium site, currently owned by the National Park Service. The vote was 17-2, with initial opposition from Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) overcome after he secured a commitment from the Commanders to address the legacy of former team logo designer Walter Blackie Weitzel.

The bill, H.R. 4984, or the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, still requires full Senate approval before the District can proceed with plans for a new stadium or other development on the land. However, the committee’s passage marks significant progress in the Commanders’ search for a new home, with the team currently playing in Landover, Maryland.

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) celebrated the vote, exclaiming “Let’s go Commanders!” A Commanders representative expressed excitement over the development, stating that the vote brings them “one step closer towards continuing conversations with D.C., along with Maryland and Virginia, as a potential future home for our franchise.” The team has been exploring stadium options across the three jurisdictions.

While the future remains uncertain, today’s action significantly increases the likelihood of the Washington Commanders returning to the District of Columbia.

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