Washington (7News) – In a main announcement, the mayor of D. C. Muriel Bowser and Josh Harris of the Washington commanders a historic agreement to take the team back to the national capital.
The construction of the agreement is a new NFL stadium on the site of the former RFK Stadium, where the team played once before moving to Maryland in the past before the 1990s. The agreement still requires the approval of the D. C.
A main step towards the realization of D. C. From the sports capital once again, the officials declared that the agreement includes an investment of $ 2. 7 billion in the commanders, which makes it the greatest personal investment in the history of the district, expand a stadium at the forefront of the generation and the RFK campus.
“We are extremely cheerful to welcome the commanders in the house in the sports capital,” Bowser said. “We said we could do everything: commanders, homes, space in the park, leisure, retail sale, entertainment and more, and, together, that is what we offer. “
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The RFK campus, which covers 180 acres, will go through a complete transformation to stay, parks, hotels, restaurants and retail spaces.
The return of the commanders to D. C. It will also create around 14,000 jobs when the construction of the stadium and 2,000 permanent positions, authorities said.
The development is expected to generate $ billion in fiscal profits and more than $ 15. 6 billion in direct expenses for 30 years.
“Today is a decisive moment for DMV and Washington commanders,” Harris said. “The RFK stadium occupies a mythical position in our history: this is where the team ruled the NFL, capturing 3 Super Bowls and creating unforgettable memories for fans. “
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The authorities told 7News that the district will want to reduce the operational budget of the city.
According to the terms of the agreement, the commanders will release the investment for the stadium, which will only occupy 11% of the site and deserve to open its doors in 2030. The district will give a contribution $ 500 million for the horizontal / non -vital prices of the stadium, budget for the prices of sports facilities. Additional investments will be made in infrastructure of public facilities, roads and parking development.
The RFK Campus reurbing will also come with a new Sportsplex, Kingman Park District and around 5,000 to 6,000 homes, with at least 30% housing.
The authorities have said that the initiative aims to maintain popular network spaces, such as RFK fields, while accessibility and the device in the region.
The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed for the historical project.
This agreement occurs after Congress granted more through D. C. On the RFK campus of 174 acres last December.
Although the proposal aroused the fans of the commanders, some citizens of D. C. They said their voices in which they are against.
A Town Point voting initiative aims to prohibit the stadium agreement in favor of housing. The “coalition of a multimillionaire game” argues that public subsidies for the stadium would be an irresponsible use of district funds.
D. C. Face a planned deficit of $ 1 billion in the next 4 years. Nick Sectlli, within the coalition orientation committee, said there were other needs, apart from a stadium, regardless of a deficit.
“We are actually executing the budget at this time. The objective here is that the Council does not transmit the budget that includes public subsidies for a stadium. We would be an irresponsible use of the dollar of the district, especially at this time,” said Sectionlli. “There are so many wishes in the city at this time, and there may be more in the future. In fact, we think that housing is the highest priority. There is a housing crisis in the city. “
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The president of the Council of D. C. , Phil Mendelson, spoke with 7News of considerations about monetary implications, stating: “The position for the district will be at least $ 856 million, and continued to invest in public cash in a stadium while we have forced budgets and income, and non -parameters. “
Mendelson said his position remains the same, and published the following after the announcement:
“The position for the district will be approximately one billion dollars, and that does not come with investments in the subway and land of the surrounding parks, and I still invest in public cash in a stadium while we have limited budgets and income, and unsatisfied needs.
The commanders are recently playing at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, but has been exploring new stadium characteristics for several years. If this agreement ends, the movement would return to the NFL team, a movement that many enthusiasts have been waiting for a long time.