Mendelson reaches deal with Commanders on RFK site amid growing pressure

Image via The Washington Post

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) announced a revised deal with the Washington Commanders to redevelop the RFK Stadium site that he said would save hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds over the next three decades, clearing the way for an initial vote on a plan to bring the football team back to its “spiritual home.”

The deal outlined Thursday keeps intact much of the initial $3.7 billion agreement that the Commanders negotiated with Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) earlier this year. But the agreement from the chairman — who has expressed personal skepticism about funding football stadiums with taxpayer dollars — makes some adjustments such as diverting certain tax revenue to the city’s coffers and getting the Commanders to provide $50 million in community benefits.