The following statement can be attributed to DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6) following today’s second and final vote approving a deal between the District and the Washington Commanders to redevelop the entire RFK campus. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 17, 2025
Contact: Erik Salmi
202-445-0834

The following statement can be attributed to DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6) following today’s second and final vote approving a deal between the District and the Washington Commanders to redevelop the entire RFK campus.  

Councilmember Allen led the efforts to include many changes now reflected in the Chairman’s final Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) to the deal - in addition to those changes at first vote - including:  

• Ensuring the stadium will be built and operated to the newest and strongest green building standards to date, making it a leader in sustainability and a new model to follow; 

• Protecting our oldest and largest trees on the site to maintain the canopy and ensure the new campus has shade and green space; 

• Ensuring the newly created Transportation Improvement Fund must go to investments in public transit and transportation like Metro, bus, bike, and pedestrian accessibility; 

• Locking in a joint evaluation between DDOT and the Commanders no sooner than 2032 for deciding to construct a third parking garage; 

• Securing a commitment from the team to aim for zero waste in stadium operations; and 

• Planning for a new fire station now, to be located on the RFK campus, to serve the tens of thousands of residents, retail, businesses, and the stadium itself. 

Statement: 

“The deal approved today allows for the redevelopment of the RFK campus, which has sat largely empty and unused for a generation. Because of the Council’s leadership in getting a better deal for DC residents and taxpayers, rather than a sea of asphalt, we will have 6,000 new homes and new businesses to support residents and visitors, world-class sports facilities, and improved access to the Anacostia River for all. And yes, there will also be a new stadium.  

Instead of tens of thousands of parking spots for the eight home games per year, we will have the most transit-friendly NFL stadium in the country. This stadium will set the new standard for how the US can build big, ambitious projects while delivering on climate change and environmental stewardship, and it is poised to take advantage of DC’s strong renewable energy marketplace. This deal creates good-paying union jobs. It has stronger accountability measures to ensure the team builds affordable housing with the same energy and focus brought to the stadium. It now prioritizes kids and community sports, including during construction. And this is a deal that delivers $800 million more back to residents over the next 30 years than the original deal. 

I’ve long been clear that an NFL stadium alone isn’t a good investment for the city. But building 6,000 new homes, creating good-paying jobs for DC residents, protecting the Anacostia River and Kingman Island, and expanding the number of youth sports fields and facilities are huge positives. And the investments in transit and meeting our environmental goals improve the deal a hundred-fold.  

Fans can rightly celebrate the Commanders’ return to the District as a major moment in our city’s proud history. But football fan or not, every resident should be eager to see these 180 acres become DC’s next neighborhood and a point of pride. I want to thank the many, many residents who reached out and shared their diverse views over the past nine months. I also want to thank the Commanders for our many negotiations over the details that helped deliver a better deal for Ward 6 and one that better serves all DC residents.”