The Path Towards Redevelopment of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Site: An Analysis of Lease Extension
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2021-12
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Abstract
The Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Memorial Stadium, once home to many sports teams including the Washington Football Team, has sat empty since the D.C. United soccer team left the stadium in 2017 for their new home stadium at Audi Field. The District of Columbia owns the stadium and leases the surrounding land from the federal government. In 2019, Events DC, the organization that manages the stadium, made the decision to demolish it. This is part of a $490 million redevelopment project of this land. It is currently unclear what will replace the stadium as there are particular conditions of the lease, including what the land can be used for and that it ends in 2038, which are limiting factors. One of the options for an anchor facility is a new football stadium for the Washington Football Team. This has faced significant pushback in the past, although the dynamics have shifted in recent years.
It is essential for the District to gain long term control of the land for any development to occur due to financing and other issues. This paper analyzes the policy proposal of passing legislation in Congress to extend the lease of the land by 50 years. This would secure long term management of the land by the District of Columbia. However it would maintain conditions that the District would only be allowed to use the land for recreational purposes and would have to seek approval from several federal agencies before development. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has supported this policy proposal before, introducing it in the 115th Congress. She has also supported conveyance of the land, where the federal government would sell it to the District at fair market value. Ultimately, this paper concludes that it is not the right time to reintroduce lease extension legislation and that the Congresswoman should work behind the scenes to advocate for the District to gain long term control of the land.
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District of Columbia, RFK Stadium, federal lands