Here’s what Commanders owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said about their thinking now. News4’s Mark Segraves reports.
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris spoke about his vision for the team’s next stadium – and seemed to be leaning toward D.C. as its site.
Harris told reporters that Congress has to act this year, though, to keep D.C. in the running.
In some of his most pro-D.C. comments yet, Harris said Sunday that his heart is pulling him toward D.C. as the site of the team’s next stadium.
“Some of my earliest memories were of Washington football and walking into RFK,” he said. “[…] So, I’m incredibly motivated to bring it back.”
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“This is emotional for me. You know, it’s not just business. It’s about the city, the franchise, the fans and doing what's right to bring the team back to where it needs to be,” he continued.
Harris said, though, that he doesn’t want to wait until 2025 for the Senate to approve legislation giving D.C. control of the RFK Stadium land so a stadium can be built.
“It’s not really realistic to think that’s gonna happen before the election,” he said.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who’s been a champion for moving the team back to D.C., said she’s in communication with Harris.
“It is clear to a lot of people that the best site in the region is one that is centrally located, it's on Metro. It's been a stadium, and it has also just a lot of emotional attachment for players and fans,” she told News4 on Monday.
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If the Senate fails to approve the RFK legislation this year, Harris would not commit to delaying a decision until next year, when a new Congress and administration are sworn in.
Harris targeted 2030 as the year he would like to see a new stadium open, wherever it’s built.
