


The District of Columbia Council is expected to approve a stadium deal with the Washington Commanders, but not by the deadline agreed upon by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the team.
The deal has been a point of tension between Bowser and the council, with Council Chairman Phil Mendelson in particular objecting to the proposal until recently. Though the council has warmed to the proposal and is expected to approve it, members are drawing further ire from Bowser by dragging their feet. They are not expected to approve the deal by the agreed-upon deadline, the Washington Post reported.
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“The mayor thinks that her deal is perfect, and that’s great for her,” Councilwoman Christina Henderson told the outlet. “I feel like there are areas where we can certainly improve.”

The $3.7 billion deal involves over $1 billion in taxpayer funds, a detail that has led council members to argue that further deliberations are needed. They have also complained that some vital information has not been obtained yet, such as Bowser’s revenue projections for the stadium and how much the deal’s tax exemptions will cost the city.
The council is set to miss the deadline by a wide margin. Councilman Zachary Parker said in a video on social media that he believes “the deal will get done” but that a vote on the stadium would be held “sometime this fall.”
The mayor has not taken kindly to the delays, warning that delays or rejections of part of the deal could jeopardize the agreement altogether.
“A delay sacrifices our exclusive seat at the table and $2.7 billion in private investment,” she said in a statement last week. “The Commanders and my team are ready to iron out the details with the Council and respond to any concerns. It should be clear, but let me emphasize — if Council strips the deal terms or budgeted dollars from the budget, it kills our agreement with the Commanders.”
Her outrage was sparked last week by a report from NBC Washington on a closed-door council meeting, where members discussed removing the stadium deal from the budget.
A spokesperson for the Commanders indicated that any delay would be unacceptable.
“Throughout the process we have been clear: the Commanders need a new home by 2030,” the spokesperson told the Washington Post in a statement. “Any delay will make us unable to deliver on that timeline as well as prevent us from attracting major concerts, performers, and international events such as the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup to D.C.”
DC COUNCIL CHAIRMAN OPPOSED TO COMMANDERS STADIUM PLAN ACCEPTS THE DEAL IS INEVITABLE
As part of the deal between Bowser and the Commanders, the team and the district would split the cost to build the stadium, housing, shops, parks, and recreational sports facilities. The Commanders would pay $2.7 billion for vertical construction, while the district would pay $500 million for horizontal construction and $181 million for parking.
A Washington Post-Schar School poll of 651 residents found that 55% support the plan compared to 39% who oppose it.