NFL Washington Commanders return to D.C. in $3.7 billion deal

The Washington Commanders are headed back to the District of Columbia.

The NFL franchise announced Monday that it had struck a deal to relocate from its current stadium in Landover, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., on the grounds of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, its home field from 1961 to 1996, which is currently being demolished.

The Commanders will invest $2.7 billion into the site, while the city government will contribute $500 million from its existing funding for sports facilities.

The new stadium, expected to open in 2030, will be part of a larger redevelopment project that will include housing, restaurants, parkland and retail. The city and the organization Events DC, which currently oversees the stadium campus, will invest hundreds of millions into infrastructure for parking, transportation and utilities, the release said, bringing the total cost to $3.7 billion.

“RFK Stadium holds a legendary place in our history – it’s where the team dominated the NFL, capturing three Super Bowls and creating unforgettable memories for fans. Now, we have the opportunity to honor that legacy by building a new world-class stadium,” Commanders managing partner Josh Harris said in a news release. 

The Commanders moved from RFK Stadium to Northwest Stadium in Landover in 1997. RFK Stadium also hosted MLB’s Washington Nationals and MLS’ D.C. United at various points, but it has sat vacant for years.

The new stadium will include a roof and have a capacity of about 65,000 seats. The Commanders expect the campus to produce 2,000 permanent jobs, $4 billion in tax revenue and more than $15.6 billion in direct spending over 30 years.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Commanders back home to the Sports Capital. We said that we could do it all – Commanders, housing, park space, recreation, retail, entertainment and more – and, together, that’s what we are delivering,” said Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser in the release. 

The Commanders are worth $6.25 billion, according to CNBC’s Official 2024 NFL Team Valuations.