GREATER LANDOVER, Md. — With the Washington Commanders first pre-season game fast approaching, fans aren’t just focused on what happens on the field. They also want to know where owner Josh Harris is going to build the new stadium he’s been talking about.
Now, WUSA9 has learned there is growing concern in Maryland about what would happen if the team left its current home in Prince George's County behind.
Outside Commanders Field in Prince George's County, Bowie resident Kevin Sales said there is uncertainty about what the future holds.
“I’m trying to think and name stuff but if you take sports away, what would it be?” Sales said. “It wouldn’t get enough attention. So, it would just be a big eyesore I would think.”
The team’s search for a new stadium includes three options: the current site; a site in Loudoun County, Virginia; and the nostalgic favorite of many fans, the RFK site in D.C.
But for that to happen, legislation giving D.C. long-term control of the federal land RFK sits on needs to pass the Senate. Right now, both of Maryland’s senators are signaling potential opposition to that bill, largely over concerns about what would happen to the Stadium site in Prince George's County if the Commanders decide to leave. The team, not the county or state, owns the stadium and 200 acres of land.
In a statement to WUSA9, Sen. Ben Cardin said of the RFK Bill, “Maryland is seeking fair competition in the bid to host the Commanders in the future. We’ve had a great run for over 20 years and do not want to see the taxpayers used to alter the playing field. We think the best option is to remain in Landover, but whatever the future holds, there must be binding agreements as to the future of the current stadium property should the Commanders decide to move."
The office of Sen. Chris Van Hollen agreed, and said Van Hollen wants to “prevent actions that unfairly tilt the scales in favor of one location over another at the expense of federal taxpayers.”
In a statement, a Commanders spokesperson wrote, “The Commanders are excited about this upcoming season at Commanders Field, as well as our continued investments in the stadium, which total approximately $75 million in the last year. We remain committed partners with Prince George's County and to all the jurisdictions where we live, play and work.”
A person close to the stadium decision added. “It is just too early in the process to discuss conversations, plans or hypothetical scenarios.”
But a hypothetical move is being discussed by people in Maryland.
“I think it’s very important,” Sales said. “Just to let it sit here and just do anything wouldn’t be good for the county, taxpayers you know, I don’t think they would like that.”
In a statement, Allyson Wilson, director of the Office of Communication for Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, wrote, “No decisions have been made about the Commanders future. We remain interested in having the Commanders in Prince George's County and to building on the relationship we have always had with the team. We’re confident that the growth and development coming to the FedEx Field area and throughout the Blue Line Corridor make it an attractive community for the Commanders to build out on the space they already own. Even if the Commanders choose to relocate, they will still be Prince George’s County property owners. We trust that they won't turn their backs on the community they've called home for almost 30 years.”
Even if the Commanders decided to go elsewhere, the team is still years away from a potential move. The agreement the team signed with Prince George's County and the state of Maryland committed the team to play football games at Commanders Field through 2027. But since the team owns all the land and stadium, they can stay as long as they need to.
And without a site even selected yet, fans could now be looking at 2030 before the team has a new stadium, wherever it is.
The Commanders say they have invested around $75 million in the current stadium over the past year, and they are actively working D.C., Maryland and Virginia on the team's future.