RFK Stadium deal faces final DC Council vote, with city leaders confident

The D C Council will take its final vote Wednesday afternoon on the Washington Commanders stadium deal If it passes the vote will bring the NFL squad back to the District The passage of the RFK Progress Act would also bring redevelopment to the long-neglected -acre RFK Stadium campus in-article-vertical-video float right padding-left px width px major media only screen and max-width px in-article-vertical-video float none padding-left px in-article-vertical-video connatix video caption width px central tnvbNcaMHUrl margin-bottom px padding px px background D text-align center font-weight bold color fff border-radius px connatix video caption margin-bottom px margin-top font-size px color font-weight text-align left display none This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker new Image src https capi connatix com tr si token be c -c - acb-af - a ccca cid c ffed c- - c -b f- c d a cnx cmd push function cnx playerId bc b - b- e d-b b - e mediaId ef b - b- -a ea- ef ffa render ebc bb de ea dd ab ceaa function renderError playerApi if renderError playerApi typeof playerApi getSize function var size playerApi getSize var captionElements document querySelectorAll connatix video caption var captionElementsArray captionElements captionElementsArray forEach el if el size el style width size width px el style display block Demolition is underway at the old RFK Stadium I m expecting that there will again be a clear majority in endorsement at second reading disclosed D C Council Chairman Phil Mendelson on Tuesday Seven votes are needed for the -member council to pass the law Only three members voted against it during the first vote in August Mendelson revealed an amended deal has been put together but the changes do not affect the major economic terms of the agreement Instead they clarify certain elements of the deal It s not changing the abatements It s not changing what happens with the tax revenues It s not changing the funds that are set up to endorsement the ongoing maintenance of the stadium Mendelson disclosed But the squad says it has a deep concern regarding the last-minute new demands just hours before the final vote In a letter unit President Mark Clouse reported the crew was presented with a list of unworkable and impractical new last-minute demands by Councilmembers The letter states that the association cannot agree as it jeopardizes the deal Particular of the changes clarify how a million transportation fund can be used The amendment also adjusts the timeline for when affordable housing must begin to be delivered starting three years after zoning for residential properties is approved The initial deal had the first portion of housing due by the end of but Mendelson called that schedule a little aggressive due to the various zoning initiatives and approvals required before construction can begin The squad explained announced the new proposals impact its ability to deliver the project as envisioned and will restrict the value this project would deliver including limiting or precluding construction reducing the ability to attract major events and limiting the District s ability to deliver on proposed housing among others In a release Mayor Muriel Bowser mentioned I am incredibly excited that with passage of these bills the District will eventually be able to welcome the Washington Commanders back home I urge the Council to sponsorship Chairman Mendelson s Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute and to pass the bill Because several of the deal s details will be contained in other legally-binding documents they should not be legislatively mandated through further amendments of this regulation I share the concern over constructing the required affordable housing which is why the bill contains financial penalties for advancement delays She warned the council against creating additional penalties or requirements that may undermine the District s ability to close the deal and bring the Commanders back to D C A few want to save heritage trees Selected residents and organizations have expressed concerns over portions of the bill including a coalition of more than groups calling for among other changes protections for large established trees on the campus known as heritage trees Related stories Farewell RFK Stadium Iconic DC stadium slowly disappears Commanders closer than ever to DC return after council passes RFK deal in st vote Do those living by RFK Stadium want the Commanders as neighbors Speaking near the RFK stadium site in the median area of East Capitol Street Nina Albert D C Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Enhancement explained multiple of those trees will remain We re standing in the festival grounds and we re surrounded by I think heritage trees This represents the vast majority of the heritage trees and I believe we ll all work very hard to preserve them That disclosed there are selected trees that will need to either be relocated or taken down to make way for this project Albert stated Mendelson also explained the project will not lead to the removal of all heritage trees The waiver that was in the bill at first reading and is in the amendment in the nature of a substitute doesn t say every heritage tree is going to be cut down and the group has made clear that they have no intention of cutting down every heritage tree Mendelson mentioned Displacement of area residents has also been a concern which could come up during discussion of expected amendments to the deal Council member Robert White is among those who have been vocal on the issue expressing concern that progress of the campus could end in residents of the Kingman Park area being pushed out of their homes Viable wealth building for residents Mendelson commented while the council should monitor whether displacement becomes an issue the project could also benefit plenty of who live nearby This is not a improvement project that is taking an existing block of homes or businesses and tearing them down and displacing them This is a advance at the site where there has been a stadium historically So there may be increased property values which I rephrase as wealth-building for the residents in the adjacent neighborhoods he commented Particular who live near the stadium have expressed concern about whether the roads and Metro station can handle the crowds Albert stated discussions with the region will take place and that conversations are already underway about whether a new Metro station is needed at the site Metro is going to be kicking off a analysis as to the feasibility of expanding their station and maybe even building a new station Albert explained She mentioned she is confident that at least seven yes votes are secured to pass the law which she described as a major economic driver The project has been significantly vetted and the deal has been significantly vetted during the first vote It got overwhelming promotion by the council nine to three vote And so I believe that the council has been satisfied with the material points of the deal Albert revealed As for whether the city is preparing for the possibility that the deal fails Albert explained she can t even conceive a future with that outcome If that were the outcome our work to make sure that D C residents have jobs that there s continued and certain economic activity over the next four years that profile would change she reported Source