Washington, D.C

Expanding estimates, unanswered questions: Checking the math on DC stadium deal

Published

9 months ago

June 16, 2025

Expanding estimates, unanswered questions: Checking the math on DC stadium deal

At a splashy announcement in late April, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser assured taxpayers their $1.1 billion investment in a new football stadium and entertainment complex would be money well spent — pledging that over 30 years the deal would bring in $4 billion in tax revenue.

A month later, her administration released a report from private consultants that upped that figure to $5.1 billion in tax revenue over a 30-year period.

But the News4 I-Team’s review of that new fiscal impact shows at least a third of those tax dollars will remain at the proposed Washington Commanders stadium site — a significant portion of the return promised to taxpayers.

Of the $5.1 billion private consultant CSL predicts the stadium and surrounding district will generate in tax dollars over 30-plus years, the I-Team found $1.7 billion will be spent running the stadium, maintaining the stadium and paying off the money D.C. borrows to build the stadium.

“Some of the tax revenue that’s generating that will stay on the campus is really meant to be able to maintain the quality of what’s there so it doesn’t degrade over time,” said D.C. City Administrator Kevin Donahue, adding those dollars would offset annual operating costs from public safety and civil enforcement associated with game days.

Donahue explained all sales taxes, food and beverage taxes, and ticket taxes generated at the stadium would stay in a fund used solely for the stadium expenses and upkeep.

It’s just one aspect of the $3.7 billion stadium complex deal now under consideration by the D.C. Council, which has discussed delaying a vote on the package Bowser proposed as part of the Council’s annual budget process.

Under the deal, the Commanders pledge to invest $2.7 billion of private money with more than $1 billion in D.C. taxpayer funds to revamp the RFK Stadium site in Ward 7.

The deal has come under fire, however, from taxpayer watchdogs who say District dollars would be better invested in District residents’ more urgent needs.

“This is really an investment in billionaire sports team owners. And what it is going to do is grow their profits while D.C. bears the cost,” Shira Markoff of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute told News4.

Markoff said that, at a time when necessities such as D.C. Medicaid and other safety nets face dramatic cuts, District residents deserve to know the full cost of the deal.

“This is D.C.’s money,” Markoff said. “We want to see it invested on behalf of D.C. residents to really grow our economy, you know, in ways that benefit D.C. workers and our most vulnerable population.”

But proponents of the deal, including Bowser, have argued there are few realistic alternatives for the RFK site, with estimates showing the Commanders complex would generate about 30,000 construction jobs and $4.2 billion in pay for those workers over three decades.

She has defended the multibillion-dollar tax revenue estimates as conservative, saying in early June: “When we look at the number of jobs created, tax revenue generated, the adjacent economic activity that is created, we think it could be even bigger.”

The I-Team asked for clarity on how the anticipated tax revenue changed from $4 billion over three decades to more than $5 billion in the private consultants’ report. The I-Team was told the private consultants aren’t available for media questions, but Donahue said the increase was a result of speeding up the projected opening of restaurants, shops and apartments surrounding the stadium.

“The bigger difference really was in the economic activity that’s happening outside the stadium,” Donahue told News4.

The I-Team wanted to see those dates and details and filed open records requests for the documents showing the initial projections and discussions around them.

The District provided the report breaking down the $5 billion figure but said neither the mayor, deputy mayor for economic development nor about a half dozen of their senior staffers had a copy of the first draft — which included the $4 billion figure — before reporting its promises in the stadium announcement.

The I-Team also was told the District could not locate a single email, text or voice message about it in its records.

The deal also projects as many as 6,477 multi-family residences around the stadium. That is almost five times as many residences in the District’s Wharf neighborhood, according to The Wharf’s website.

Under the deal, the Commanders have the right to develop the residences, but it’s unclear how many District dollars could go to that effort. The District already requires a portion of housing units to be designated as affordable and, according to Donahue, hasn’t ruled out providing additional funds for that purpose.

Donahue said District leaders arrived at the 6,477 number based off a master plan it has for the RFK site. But when the I-Team asked for a copy of that plan, which they said was prepared by outside consultants, they declined to release it.

Meanwhile, the D.C. Council hired an outside consultant to review the terms of the deal, which Bowser said must be approved by July 15 under its agreement with the Commanders. If that date passes, the Commanders could start negotiating again with Maryland or Virginia.

The team has said it hopes to open the new stadium by 2030.

Investigative producer Katie Leslie and photojournalist Derrick Cheston contributed to this report.

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Washington, D.C

Community gathers for RFK stadium site open house meeting as Commanders prepare for DC return

Published

8 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Community gathers for RFK stadium site open house meeting as Commanders prepare for DC return

WASHINGTON – Community members gathered on Tuesday night to review redevelopment plans for the RFK Stadium site and offer feedback as the Washington Commanders prepare for a return to the District.

The steel structure of the old stadium has now been removed, and officials say comments on the project’s environmental impact statement are due at the end of April. The final master plan is taking shape with input from residents.

Community gathers for RFK stadium site open house meeting as Commanders prepare for DC return

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick said a strong crowd gathered in D.C. Tuesday to speak with developers and city planners. The RFK site is divided into six districts, including the Plaza District, Riverfront District and Stadium District, each with proposed features for residents to evaluate. Members of the community viewed design concepts, asked questions and used green and red stickers to mark what they supported or opposed.

In the Kingman Park District, a primarily residential area, residents raised concerns about preserving green space and the placement of parking garages.

Groundbreaking for the Plaza District is scheduled for 2029, with the stadium targeted to open in 2030. The Commanders are investing $2.7 billion in the project, the largest private investment in city history, with another $1 billion coming from D.C. taxpayers.

City leaders say the redevelopment could create up to 6,500 housing units, 30,000 construction jobs, 2,000 permanent jobs and generate an estimated $5.1 billion in tax revenue.

Community gathers for RFK stadium site open house meeting as Commanders prepare for DC return

Another community meeting is set for Saturday at St. Coletta Church, with a site walk planned in April. More online.

St. Coletta Meeting Details

When: Saturday, March 28, 10 am to 12 pm
Where: St. Coletta of Greater Washington, 1901 Independence Avenue SE (Closest Metro: Stadium-Armory)

Online Survey

For those unable to attend an in-person event, the District will offer an online survey where residents can provide feedback on the master plan. The survey will request input on topics similar to those discussed at the events. The Office of Planning will combine this feedback with comments received at the in-person events, via email, and at the community visioning meetings that were held from October 2025 through February 2026.

The survey link will be available from March 30-April 10 at OurRFK.dc.gov.

Community Site Walk

On Saturday, April 18, neighbors of the RFK Stadium campus are invited to join a walking tour led by staff from the Office of Planning. The walk will include visits to areas that are important to the redevelopment and stopping points for discussion. This interactive outdoor workshop will allow stakeholders to step into the shoes of a planner and share their ideas for the site’s future.

When: Saturday, April 18, 10 am
Where: Stadium-Armory Metro Station, 192 19th Street SE
RSVP: A registration link will be available soon at OurRFK.dc.gov.

Community gathers for RFK stadium site open house meeting as Commanders prepare for DC return

The Source: Information in this article comes from The Office of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and previous FOX 5 reporting.

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Washington, D.C

What to know about the ‘No Kings’ protest in DC this weekend

Published

20 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

What to know about the ‘No Kings’ protest in DC this weekend

‘No Kings’ protests across DC

Thousands of people took to the streets of Washington, D.C., and across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s administration as part of massive “No Kings” protests.

WASHINGTON – Washington, D.C., and the surrounding DMV area are set to host the third major “No Kings” march and rally this Saturday, March 28, 2026, as part of a wave of nationwide demonstrations planned for the same day.

Event details:

Organized locally by area chapters of Indivisible and allied grassroots groups, the event aims to draw protesters to downtown Washington and surrounding counties to oppose policies of the Trump administration and to voice broader concerns about civil rights and democratic norms.

The march will kick off at 10 a.m., with participants gathering at Memorial Circle near Arlington Cemetery, with additional access from the Blue Line or nearby parking at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, according to the event organizers. There is no public parking in the immediate area, but participants can be dropped off at the circle.

People take part in a “No Kings” protest in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 18, 2025. (Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

From there, the procession will head across the Memorial Bridge into Washington, D.C., passing the Lincoln Memorial and continuing on to the Washington Monument.

At the conclusion of the march, participants can walk to a downtown rally, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

A broader movement

Big picture view:

A nationwide series of “No Kings” protests is set for March 28—over 3,000 events are scheduled.

These protests are organized by groups including Indivisible and the broader 50501 Movement, which have coordinated previous actions in June and October 2025 that drew millions of participants nationwide, including in Washington, D.C.

Other ‘No Kings’ rallies in the DMV

Dig deeper:

In addition to the main rally in downtown D.C., several other demonstrations tied to “No Kings 3” are scheduled around the DMV this Saturday.

In Arlington, Virginia, activists are organizing a march across the Memorial Bridge beginning at 10 a.m., with protesters expected to continue into West Potomac Park before joining larger crowds in the District proper, for example.

There are hundreds of “No Kings” events scheduled to take place this Saturday throughout the DMV. You can click here to find a list of all of them.

The Source: Information from “No Kings” organizers, Indivisible, Mobilize and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.

Washington, D.C.NewsD.C. PoliticsMaryland PoliticsVirginia PoliticsMarylandVirginiaPolitics

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Washington, D.C

Great Mother March sets out on 500-mile pilgrimage from Asheville to Washington

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Great Mother March sets out on 500-mile pilgrimage from Asheville to Washington

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – The Great Mother March has begun a 500-mile pilgrimage from Asheville, North Carolina, to Washington, D.C.

Organizers said the 32-day journey is a women’s empowerment pilgrimage inspired by the Buddhist monks’ Walk for Peace.

Great Mother March(Great Mother March)

“This is a universal movement,” founder Whitney Freya, an artist, author and sacred activist, said. “Everyone has a mother. Every tradition reveres a Great Mother. And we all depend on Mother Earth. This march is a call to honor those truths while reminding us what is possible when we move together, with intention, hope, and love.”

The march is expected to end April 22, Earth Day, when participants reach the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Here’s a look at the group’s route:

Great Mother March route(Google Maps/Great Mother March)

Organizers said the group will walk alongside the Appalachian Mountains through rural communities in North Carolina and Virginia, with planned stops including Black Mountain, Old Fort, Marion, Linville and Boone, North Carolina.

From there, the group plans to travel via Todd and West Jefferson, North Carolina, and the River Country Campground along the New River, to the Peace Pentagon near Independence, Virginia.

The marchers are expected to arrive in Galax, Virginia, on April 1, then continue to Hillsville, Floyd, Ferrum and Rocky Mount, arriving in Rocky Mount on April 5.

The group is expected to reach Lynchburg on April 9 and travel up U.S. 29 to Waynesboro, arriving April 12.

Organizers said the marchers plan to arrive in Charlottesville on April 13 and spend April 14 at IX Art Park to rest and prepare for the final leg to Washington.

From Charlottesville, the group plans overnight stops in Barboursville, Orange, Culpeper and Warrenton, Virginia, before arriving in Manassas on April 19. Additional stops include the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia, ahead of the group’s arrival in Washington on April 22.

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