photo by CTB in DC
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Today, having confirmed that congressional leaders appended the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984) to the continuing resolution to extend federal spending, Mayor Muriel Bowser released the following statement:
“As a city, we have worked for years toward the opportunity to transform a vacant, blighted sea of asphalt in the heart of DC and to put the RFK campus back to productive use. Today, we are pleased and grateful to congressional leaders for advancing this critical bipartisan legislation that recognizes the potential of the land. And the potential is great – for housing and jobs; for sports, recreation, and an entertainment district; for green space, better connections to the river, and monumental views of our Nation’s Capital. The future of the RFK campus will benefit residents and visitors alike, and our vision for the renaissance and development of more than 170 acres of waterfront space will benefit the entire region.
“We especially thank Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for her relentless dedication to advocating for our city. We also extend our appreciation to the more than a dozen cosponsors whose support has been instrumental. We thank Chairman James Comer of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee whose steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment have been pivotal in advancing this legislation. We are also grateful to Chairman Bruce Westerman of the Committee on Natural Resources for his effective guidance in bringing this bill to the floor. Finally, we appreciate the support of our partners in Maryland for their collaboration in strengthening the vitality of our region.
“We look forward to final passage in the coming days.”
From the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton:
“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that her bill to transfer administrative jurisdiction over the RFK Stadium campus from the federal government to D.C. for up to 99 years has been included in the text of the continuing resolution (CR), released today. If passed before Friday’s funding deadline, the CR will allow the federal government to avoid a shutdown.
If signed into law by the president, the RFK Stadium bill would allow D.C. to use the land where the old stadium sits for redevelopment, commercial and residential development, or other public purposes. Norton has worked on prior versions of the bill aimed at revitalizing the RFK Stadium campus, which at 174 acres is the largest unused track of land in the District, since 2017.
“I am pleased this important bill was included in the CR, which must pass this week for the federal government to avoid a shutdown,” Norton said. “The RFK Stadium bill is a win-win for the federal and D.C. governments. As the Department of the Interior testified, it would allow D.C. to transform the crumbling, long-vacant campus from ‘acres of asphalt to a complex focused on community sports, recreation, park space and cultural amenities’ and would ‘guarantee public access to a sizeable amount of park land and outdoor recreation areas.’ Additionally, this bill would allow D.C. to create a mixed-used development and to generate significant revenue for the District.”
The bill would require D.C. to reserve 30 percent of the campus for parks and open space and prohibit D.C. from building along the waterfront.
Throughout her career in Congress, Norton has prioritized transferring unused federal land to D.C. or the private sector, enabling the redevelopment of neighborhoods, generating tax revenue and bringing much-needed space to the District.”