Issues

A Stadium Will Squeeze Out
Neighborhood-Focused Development:

RFK has 174 acres, and Mayor Bowser says a stadium would take up 25 acres – implying most of the land would still be available for community development.  “We can have it all,” she says.

But these numbers don’t stand up to scrutiny. 

After considering the necessary set-aside of land near the river, plus a requirement of 30% set-aside for green space, the amount of land that can be developed at RFK is 100 acres – not 174.

Also, the mayor’s quote of 25 acres for a stadium doesn’t include parking, yet even a modest amount of parking in 5-story garages easily could take up 50 acres – a total of 75 acres for the stadium. Bowser often cites the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as a model, but doesn’t mention that it's downtown with 20,000 parking spaces in nearby lots. RFK has no parking lots nearby.

Rather than 150 acres for community development, as suggested by the mayor (174 minus 25), the actual number could be 25 acres or less if there is an NFL Stadium.

See How Actual NFL Stadiums Would Overwhelm the RFK site

Our mapping tool allows you to overlay other stadiums over the RFK site, showing that RFK is not big enough for a stadium and other development.

Stadium = Handouts to Billionaire

Team owners always have their hands out: for free land, tax breaks, construction subsidies. Most NFL stadiums have been built with subsidies from local governments.  And it doesn’t stop once a stadium is built, like the $515 million Ted Leonsis demanded last year.

Why does Mayor Bowser support subsidizing billionaire team owners, but opposes increases in SNAP benefits or pay raises for childcare teachers?

A Stadium or
Affordable Housing?

An NFL stadium at RFK would take up land that could be used to build thousands of affordable housing units. DC law requires 30% affordable housing when public land is developed. That same rule should apply for RFK.

Without an NFL stadium, RFK could easily host 5,000 new housing units, including 1,500 affordable units.

Notably, affordable housing built on DC land usually requires no cash subsidies from the city, which is extremely important at a time when the city’s finances are tight.

Don’t Be Fooled: Stadiums Are Not Economic Development

Study after study shows that stadiums – which are silent most of the year – do nothing to boost local economies. They don’t create good permanent jobs and they don’t raise incomes. By squeezing out local development, an NFL stadium would actually take away land for real economic development: housing and neighborhood-focused retail.

If RFK is developed with housing, recreational space, and retail, that will create a residential base to support economic development. 

NFL Stadium Threatens DC’s
Environmental Progress

The RFK site has the potential to bring more DC residents in contact with the Anacostia River, enjoying nature within the city and expanding on nearby Kingman Park and Heritage Island. 

While the federal law transferring RFK to the District requires 30% of the land to be used as green space, it offers no other assurance that the area will be held to the highest environmental standards. 

And Mayor Bowser has pointedly refused to commit to applying all of DC’s environmental laws to RFK.

There are serious environmental issues at the RFK site including the need to remediate the soil.  Beyond that, DC law now requires new developments to be built without using fossil fuels, as part of our effort to reduce carbon emissions. 

We cannot throw out important environmental protections to support a major corporate endeavor.

What Preserving RFK for the Community Looks Like:

  • Preserving the current vibrant uses: the Fields at RFK, Maloof skate park and the pole vault training site. These will count toward the requirement that 30% of RFK be used as open space.

  • Protecting the farmer’s market by including a community gathering space.

  • Developing thousands of housing units and requiring at least 30% affordable

  • Building an infill Metro station at Oklahoma Avenue 

  • Providing preferential opportunities for local small business owners

Questions for Mayor Bowser about Prioritizing the Community:

  1. There are 100 develop-able acres at RFK, after excluding protected riverfront area and mandated open space. How many of those will be committed to meeting community needs?

  2. How many parking spots will be provided on site?

  3. Public subsidies for stadiums in the U.S have reached $1 billion in some communities. Will you commit to offering no subsidy, beyond donated land and preparation, for stadium development and future maintenance and repairs?

  4. How much will the agreement with Senator Mike Lee to pay NPS for the value of the land cost, and how are you on fulfilling that?

  5. Will DC do an environmental assessment before work starts?

  6. Have you considered what this space could look like and do for the community without a stadium along with an economic comparison to truly understand the potential of this site?