Julia Roberton/AP
Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium has been approved for demolition, paving the way for the NFL’s Washington Commanders to move back to nation’s capital.
The National Park Service — which owns the land — announced Thursday that the D.C. government can proceed with the demolition of the stadium. The NPS first had to evaluate the site and determine if demolishing it would have any negative impact on the environment.
Now, D.C. must obtain a permit from the NPS to move forward.
“In addition to the permit, the NPS and the District will sign an agreement that confirms the District’s continued use and demolition of the property will follow the 1957 District of Columbia Stadium Act’s requirements,” the NPS said in a statement.
The D.C. Stadium venue, later renamed after former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy following his assassination, opened in 1961. It has not been used since 2019.
The Commanders — formerly known as the Washington Redskins — called the stadium home until 1997 when they moved to Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The new stadium, later renamed to Redskins Stadium and then FedEx Field, is now called Commanders Field.
When new ownership took over the Commanders, it was revealed they were open to relocating. The House in February passed a bill that would allow D.C. to redevelop on the site, and the move has been viewed as a path for the Commanders to return.
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