WASHINGTON — It is the end of an era in D.C. as the orange wooden seats of RFK Stadium's lower bowl were removed Thursday afternoon.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and more special guests honored the momentous occasion that celebrates the legacy of D.C.’s most iconic sports and concert venue.
“D.C. has made a lot of good memories at RFK, and now as we say farewell to this stadium, we are looking ahead to the future. We are thinking about all the possibilities for this 190-acre campus – the opportunities to honor the legacy of Senator Kennedy with housing, jobs, opportunity, and more,” said Mayor Bowser. “We have a strong track record of putting underutilized federal land to productive use, and we want to do the same here. The Fields at RFK have given us a glimpse into what is possible. We look forward to building and opening a world-class sports complex here. And there is so much more potential to activate this space, to connect our waterfront, and to make this campus a major destination for Washington, D.C. and the region.”
RFK Stadium, which opened in 1961 and was closed to the public in 2019, hosted the Commanders, Washington Nationals, and D.C. United. A wide range of major events, including 1996 Olympic soccer, the 1994 Men’s FIFA World Cup, the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and countless concerts and performances also called the staple home.
As D.C. looks to the future, Mayor Bowser and Events DC are looking to put parts of RFK campus back to productive use for the community, which included opening The Fields at RFK Campus in 2019. The Mayor’s budget includes $60 million to create the SportsComplex@RFK, an indoor sports complex that will accommodate gymnastics, indoor track and field, boxing, and more. The budget also includes $18.5 million to build pedestrian and bicycle bridges across the Anacostia River to connect residents to River Terrace, the RFK Campus, Hill East, and Kingman and Heritage Islands.
During the decommissioning process, Events DC has preserved memorabilia from the stadium, including plaques, signage, and seats, including some for sale to the public. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of stadium seats and memorabilia will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington and St. Coletta of Greater Washington.
RFK Stadium is currently undergoing demolition and is closed to the public, with the major structure scheduled to be demolished by the end of 2023.