photo by CTB in DC
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser attended a bill signing at the White House as President Joseph R. Biden signed into law the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984). Following the signing, the Mayor released the following statement:
“It is a good day for DC when we finally have control of our own destiny at the RFK campus. We are ready and optimistic about unlocking the full potential of this space, and with more than 170 acres of land we can do it all – deliver housing, economic opportunity, green space, recreation, sports, and more.
“This moment is the result of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration, and bipartisan leadership. We extend our gratitude to President Biden, Representative James Comer, and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton for their crucial support in ensuring this bill’s success.”
From the Office of Eleanor Holmes Norton:
“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that President Biden signed into law her bipartisan bill with Rep. James Comer (R-KY) to transfer administrative jurisdiction over the RFK Stadium campus from the federal government to D.C. for a term not less than 99 years.
The RFK Stadium bill clears the way for D.C. to use the land where the crumbling 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 tract of land in the District, since 2017.
“After a long and difficult fight, D.C. can finally decide for itself what to do with the largest unused tract of land remaining in the District,” Norton said. “I look forward to seeing the site transformed from crumbling blight to a productive and bustling complex that will generate significant revenue for the nation’s capital.”
“Throughout my career in Congress, I’ve 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.”
“Thank you to Rep. Comer for his partnership on this bill this Congress.”
The Senate passed the bill in dramatic fashion, after 1:00 a.m. on December 21. Hours earlier, the House passed a continuing resolution (CR) that had been stripped of the RFK Stadium bill.
The bill requires D.C. to reserve 30 percent of the campus for parks and open space and prohibit D.C. from building along the waterfront.“