WASHINGTON — As the bidding war for the future home of the Washington Commanders intensifies, D.C. residents are weighing in on Mayor Muriel Bowser’s pitch that the team returns home to RFK.
“With this man, absolutely not!’ said ANC 6B10 Commissioner Denise Krepp, “So sorry. I get fired up.”
Krepp represents the Hill East community closest to the old RFK stadium. Commissioner Krepp said the allegations of sexual harassment against current team owner Dan Snyder are a deal-breaker. She believes D.C. must take a moral stance.
“Oh, absolutely, absolutely. I think it'd be very easy for the mayor to say, 'you know what, maybe we can consider having the football team, but not under this ownership,'” she replied. “What message do we send to the women who bravely stood up and said, ‘you know what, I need to tell my story.”
“I am not against them coming back into D.C., I do not support them coming back to this location,” said ANC 7D01 Commissioner Tamara Blair.
Commissioner Blair said the team also has a history of being bad neighbors. She remembers when they used to play at RFK before leaving in the mid-’90s.
“Game days were terrible,” she replied, “Our parking was diminished, we had to deal with extra trash. People that consumed too much alcohol. Everything that fans considered a celebration, was a major headache for neighbors.”
Stacy Zimmerman hasn’t been around quite as long, but she said the occasional concerts at RFK are disruption enough.
“It’s not that we don’t welcome business and that sort of thing but ultimately this is a very residential neighborhood and we like to live that way,” said Zimmerman.
Neighbors said the fields at RFK, Kingman and Heritage islands, bike trails and access to the Anacostia River make their way of life unique. And while the area is beginning to see the dream of development at the old D.C. General site, the commissioners said the community needs affordable housing and amenities like a grocery store.
“Here's both a great opportunity to better serve the community and provide the green space, the parks and additional housing that the community desperately needs,” said ANC 6A08 Commissioner Brian Alcorn.
WUSA9 reached out to the Mayor’s office about the Commissioner’s concerns. We are still waiting to hear back. But Bowser’s pitch includes affordable housing.
Still, community leaders believe the city can achieve that without the help of the NFL.
The Mayor maintains the RFK site is the best location for the Washington Commanders. She insists the team will have to fund and build the stadium. But as far as the preparation of the land, city taxpayers will have to foot the bill for that. The DC Council will have to sign off on that proposal first.