By Chris Kain
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The DC Council voted 9-3 this afternoon in favor of initial approval of a revised deal with the Washington Commanders for mixed-use redevelopment of the RFK Stadium campus — the result of lawmakers’ negotiations in recent weeks that altered the terms announced in late April by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the team.

“I’m proud that we were able to get here today,” said at-large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, who helped shepherd the legislation as chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development. “This deal is a lot stronger for DC residents than when we first got it. … I think we can all be proud.”

Ahead of the council’s consideration, key unions announced they had finalized agreements with the team to secure construction and post-construction jobs, which Ward 4’s Janeese Lewis George and Ward 5’s Zachary Parker had said was essential for their support. During today’s deliberations, several other councilmembers also highlighted the importance of the union agreements, which encompass not just the stadium but also adjacent hotels envisioned on the team-controlled development sites.

“This is one of the hardest votes I’ve had to make as a daughter of the District,” Lewis George said, noting the many voices she heard in support of and against the use of taxpayer dollars as part of the $3.7 billion redevelopment of the RFK campus. She said she’s confident the council’s changes have turned an instance of “corporate welfare” into a deal that “will put money into working people’s pockets.”

A second vote — scheduled for Sept. 17, the council’s first meeting upon returning from its summer recess — is necessary for the legislation to become law. In response to concerns expressed during today’s deliberations, Council Chair Phil Mendelson agreed to pursue further conversations with the team about including stronger accountability measures to ensure timely construction of the housing slated for the mixed-use parcels. Construction is envisioned between 2030 and 2040, but the financial penalties negotiated by Mendelson wouldn’t kick in until 2049.

The team’s unwillingness to agree to stricter penalties was cited by Ward 3’s Matt Frumin as the reason for his vote today against the RFK legislation. Ward 6’s Charles Allen — a longtime critic of the deal who said newly negotiated terms on environmental standards, transportation plans and the promise of union jobs were enough to gain his support — echoed Frumin’s desire for the council over the next month and a half to push for the Commanders to agree to stronger compliance mechanisms.

The bill needed eight votes — a supermajority — to pass at today’s legislative meeting because the chief financial officer determined that tax abatements in the deal weren’t essential to the project’s or team’s viability.

With the latest round of concessions, only two other councilmembers joined Frumin in voting against the RFK legislation. Ward 1’s Brianne Nadeau said she fundamentally opposed the government subsidies inherent in the project, and at-large member Robert White said he opposed the deal as a substantial corporate subsidy without sufficient protections for DC residents and taxpayers.

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