WASHINGTON — An ongoing debate about the future of RFK Memorial Stadium in D.C. continued Wednesday, with a community forum in Northeast D.C. to discuss possibilities.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said she wants to bring the Commanders home to the District and play in a new stadium on the RFK site. A bill to lease the site to D.C. for the next 99 years, and expand how it can be used, passed the House Oversight Committee last month.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service is investigating what environmental impact the project, and demolition of the old RFK stadium, would have on the District as a whole. The public comment period is open until Nov. 9.
During Wednesday's meeting Mayor Muriel Bowser told a packed house that, right now, she has one goal for the RFK site, and that's for D.C. to get control of it so D.C. can do something with it for the public good. But a lot of people, reading between the lines, heard her say a lot more — and not everyone liked it.
Brian Lawrence wants the Commanders back at RFK so much, he sketched his own design of what a new stadium might look like.
"I'm a diehard fan," he said. He wasn't the only one at the meeting either.
"They need to be back in the city," said Rodney Red Grant. "I think it definitely should be built on the RFK site."
Bowser seemed to agree.
"We just cannot talk about sports as if it is not also linked to how this city invests in itself," she said.
She told the crowd that first she wants Congress control over the RFK land. Then, she believes the 174 acres could be developed with permanent recreational fields, access to the Anacostia and a new stadium. She said investing in sports doesn't mean other services will suffer.
"We're a big city, and we have to do both," Bowser said to murmurs of disapproval.
A coalition of residents from the neighborhoods surrounding the stadium released a survey that it says shows widespread opposition to a new stadium project.
The coalition, known as RFK Future, said a recent survey they conducted shows 67% of residents oppose building a new stadium in place of the now-defunct RFK. RFK Future said the survey showed strong support for community-driven alternatives, such as a park or nature preserve, a sports and recreation complex for all ages, open space, and affordable housing.
"The results of this survey highlight not just clear opposition to a stadium, but the breadth of vibrant and creative ideas our community has for the RFK Stadium site," wrote Lisa White, president of Friends of Kingman Park, and a member of RFK Future, in a press statement. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a green oasis, a place where young athletes can thrive, to offer dignity for elders in our city and solutions to our affordable housing crisis. Our collective vision is so much larger when the community is at the table."
About 2,000 people responded to the survey, which was open from Aug. 16 to Oct. 16.
The District of Columbia owns the stadium, and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (Events DC) is responsible for its operation and management. The stadium opened in 1961 and has been vacant since 2017 when DC United played their final game.
One thing the community seems to agree on following Wednesday's meeting: RFK Memorial Stadium can't stay the way it is.