WAHINGTON (7News) — The long-anticipated demolition of RFK Stadium is set to begin in late January, according to Events DC.
In a statement posted Saturday, Events DC announced that contractors will ramp up activity on the RFK campus starting Monday, Jan. 13, as they prepare for the structural demolition of the historic stadium.
For Washington Commanders fans who are hoping the team moves back to D.C. for their home games, they’re hoping this means their prayers are answered – much like the game-winning Hail Mary touchdown against the Chicago Bears earlier this season.
“It was overdue that they needed to do something about it. Actually, they need to build another stadium,” said James Pittman. “All of this used to be filled up, lit up with tailgating and parties and stuff like that.”
Currently, the Commanders play their home games at Northwest Stadium in Prince George’s County, Md., but could leave after the 2027 season. Since the team owns the land where the Maryland stadium sits, they can build a new stadium if they want, while continually renewing agreements to play there past 2027.
There currently is no deal for a new stadium or a move by the team back to the District.
In order for that to happen, Mayor Muriel Bowser still needs to negotiate a deal with the Washington Commanders’ ownership group and DC Council needs to approve the plan.
Former DC Councilmember Jack Evans is all too familiar with what it takes to get both tasks done.
He was on the council when they approved Nationals Park for when the Washington Nationals moved to the city.
“It was a long process getting baseball back to Washington. We faced a couple of hurdles,” Evans said. “Major League Baseball said to us, or everybody competing, ‘You have to build a new stadium on your dime, or we’re not coming.'”
After several close votes, the DC Council approved the plan to build the 100 % publicly financed stadium.
Evans told 7News the economic development in the area surrounding the ballpark could make it easier for this council to approve a new football stadium.
“The stadium cost us about $600 million, all public financed. But today, the area around the stadium produces around $400 million a year in tax revenue,” Evans said. “We pay for the stadium every year, that then goes to the schools, human services. It’s economic development to produce revenues that finance the city.”
A study released in June 2024 by the D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development estimates an NFL team in the city would annually generate $1.26 billion in economic output, 2,095 jobs, and $26 million in tax revenue.
Evans said there will likely be one major difference in the process of approving a new football stadium than what he dealt with when approving National Park.
“They won’t be able to do what we did in baseball. Baseball was 100 % publicly financed, all $611 million. We borrowed $585 million to pay for the stadium. I don’t think you can get that done ever again anywhere in the country. It was just one of those things where everything came together, we had the financing, and we were able to put it together and get the votes for it,” Evans said. “How do you cobble together the financing to support that? That will be the back-and-forth with the team, the NFL, the city, and who can put that deal together. I think it’s doable.”
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The RFK Stadium demolition announcement comes a week after President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that transfers the land that includes the old stadium from the federal government to D.C.’s control, which would allow the construction of a new stadium.
Mayor Bowser took the picture of the bill signing alongside key members of the Washington Commanders’ ownership group, including Managing Partner Josh Harris.
Evans said this may be proof that a new stadium deal could be marching downfield, like the Commanders offense.
“I think that was a pretty strong signal, ‘We want to come to the District of Columbia,'” Evans said. “I think we’re going to have a bit of an easier time selling this product because we are a football town. And what do people love even more than that? A winner. I cannot believe how well the Commanders are doing, right at the time we needed them to do well.”
After months of regulatory reviews, the National Park Service (NPS) granted Events DC permission to move forward with the project.
“Please note that the structural demolition is anticipated to commence in late January. The initial demolition activities will largely be confined to selective sections of the interior of the stadium and the removal of sections of exterior cladding,” Events DC wrote in their statement. “We will take all necessary precautions to minimize the impact of these activities on the community and will continue to provide updates as the demolition process progresses.”
7News On Your Side reached out to councilmembers and Bowser to ask if the demolition means a new stadium deal is imminent.
Councilmember Brooke Pinto provided the following statement:
I am thrilled DC has been given back control of the RFK stadium campus. I fully support developing this site for productive use for housing, retail, transit, recreation space, and as a potential home for the Commanders and space for other sports and entertainment uses. The conversations are ongoing to ensure that the community is engaged so that RFK can be a world class destination for residents and visitors.
Mayor Bowser and other councilmembers 7News reached out to did not respond or were not available as of publication.
RFK Stadium, which opened in 1961, hosted countless events, including Washington’s professional football and soccer games, concerts, and more. The site was also home to the Washington Nationals prior to their move to Nationals Park and the Washington Senators.
But the beginning of the stadium demolition, Evans said, could be D.C.’s way of kicking off the process of getting a new stadium.
“By now continuing to tear down RFK Stadium, it clearly is a message, ‘We’re ready to go,'” Evans said. “Let’s get the ground ready, get everything ready to go, and go for it, and get the stadium built.”
