Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s vibe screams positivity. The state’s two teams squaring off in October brought out his optimism.
“The entire football universe is going to descend upon our state,” Moore told The Athletic ahead of the Washington Commanders visiting the Baltimore Ravens. “We’re one of the few states in the country that has two football teams.”
Moore’s goal is to ensure that two-team status continues for years. With the Commanders’ ownership group seeking a new stadium and new Congressional legislation creating an opening for Washington D.C. officials to bring the NFL back to its former home site, the governor’s actions show an executive unwilling to assume final decisions will go his way. Elon Musk inserting himself into the discussion on Wednesday is another example of how the stadium story shifts repeatedly.
The 118th United States Congress released the contents of a continuing resolution on Tuesday centered on funding the federal government through mid-March. Tucked inside is a measure to turn control of the RFK campus in the nation’s capital over to the District of Columbia. The 174-acre property is where Mayor Muriel Bowser hopes to build a state-of-the-art stadium with the Commanders.
Maryland’s delegation negotiated terms, including funding to reconstruct the collapsed Frances Scott Key Bridge, in exchange for its willingness to allow the bill to move forward for a vote that, at least on Tuesday, was considered a lock for approval. At the same time, Moore sought assurances from the Commanders directly for the state.
Minutes before Congress released the contents of the continuing resolution, the governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding, obtained by The Athletic and previously agreed upon by Commanders managing partner Josh Harris.
Moore isn’t ceding the Commanders to D.C. In a statement shared with The Athletic on Tuesday, Moore said, “Our position on the stadium hasn’t changed. We are not afraid of competition, and we believe that we can continue to build on decades of partnership with the team here in Maryland. We are confident that Landover is still the best, and fastest, path to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.”
He may be right. While Maryland has been aggressive and cohesive with its funding plan for a new stadium and building commercial property in the surrounding area, D.C. officials have not stated whether they would contribute significant money to a project that likely exceeds $2 billion. Virginia, home to the team’s practice facility, is considered a long shot for a stadium.
Harris previously expressed a target date of 2030 for a new stadium. On the field, the Commanders (9-5) have clinched the franchise’s first winning season since 2016 and are tracking for their first playoff berth since 2020.
Raised in the nearby Maryland suburbs and a lifelong fan of the three-time Super Bowl championship organization, Harris may look for the nostalgia that only the RFK site could provide. Should that transpire, Maryland has an agreement with the franchise to cover its interests.
The MOU only applies if the Commanders leave the state. Hosting “future training camps” is among the agreed-upon terms. In addition:
- The Commanders “will continue to maintain the Stadium in a first-class manner until Demolition begins.” In contrast, the old RFK Stadium, now a rusted and decrepit building, has remained an eyesore for several years. The demolition would begin “within 90 days following the first home NFL game at the Commanders’ new home stadium.” Expenses for the demolition and removal of debris would be the obligation of the Commanders. The 200-acre property in Landover was part of the $6.05 billion purchase price Harris and his partners, including NBA legend Magic Johnson, paid in July 2023. Since buying the team, the organization invested roughly $75 million into 27-year-old Northwest Stadium, considered one of the league’s worst venues.
- If Harris announces specific exit plans, the “Commanders will collaborate with the State, the County (Prince George’s), and other appropriate State and local agencies to transform the Stadium Site into a vibrant mixed-use development.” This may include residential, retail, commercial use and a “sports and fitness complex.”
- The Commanders must “provide ample opportunity for community, State, and County input throughout the design process” and obtain necessary local approvals before the first NFL home game at a new stadium.
- The organization and Maryland will work together to “redevelop the Stadium Site to catalyze region-wide economic growth consistent with the development vision along the region known as the Blue Line Corridor.”
- Before selling any or all portions of the stadium site to another private entity, “the Commanders will consult in good faith with the State and the County.”
- The Commanders will work in good faith to program football-related activities on the redeveloped site. Possibilities include “future training camps,” flag football, and/or open practice, and to allow for reasonable public and community use of the new facilities.”
The RFK campus story faced its share of twists and turns even before Musk, the mega-billionaire and confidant to President-elect Donald Trump, expressed concerns via his account on X over the RFK campus portion of the Congressional bill. He also shared numerous social media posts from members of Congress with like-minded objections.
The law firm Berlin Rosen, assisting the Commanders’ organization, issued a statement countering Musk’s contention of taxpayer funding as part of the property transfer.
“The bill does not provide funding for a new stadium in D.C.,” the statement read in part. “It just transfers administrative jurisdiction over RFK Memorial Stadium to the District of Columbia and expressly prohibits the use of federal funds for a new stadium.”
As for the Landover site, logically, Harris and his partners would not let the expansive and lucrative property next to the Capital Beltway sit unused for an extended time. The MOU gives Maryland officials a voice in that planning. Ideally, Moore won’t have to oversee such changes and can look forward to the Commanders and Ravens tangling on opposite ends of the stretch of I-95 that separates the venues. However, the governor and his congressional colleagues ensured the worst-case scenario would not blight the state and its constituents. That isn’t a total victory, but it puts points on the board depending on how anyone in the political tussle keeps score.
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(Photo: Tom Brenner for The Washington Post / Getty Images)
