ASHBURN, Va. — The Commanders welcomed fans to training camp in Ashburn for the first time over the weekend. Among those excited fans was Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
The governor showed up early Sunday morning decked out in a Commanders jersey to talk with fans about the Commanders' next chapter, which could include a new stadium in Prince George's County.
Team owner Josh Harris told WUSA9 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.
At training camp Sunday, Moore said staying in Maryland makes sense.
"We don't just have land and space, but we have opportunity and we have a vision," Moore said. "We really see this as something where you could have an entire experience that exists for fans not just to come watch games, but for people to live and exist as well.
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.
Moore said he plans to be aggressive about keeping the team in Maryland. He said he has been encouraged so far by the willingness of team owners to discuss the possibility with him.