Talking Points
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Our community priorities include: 1) clear and ongoing oversight of the project; 2) expanding access to the site through improved public transportation; 3) ensuring the safety of the surrounding community; 4) economic development that includes retail and mixed use development; and 5) maintaining publicly accessible green space.
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Any final agreement must include clear deadlines, measurable outcomes, and enforcement provisions so the community isn’t left behind.
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We need a strong, community-led Oversight Committee to ensure the promises made are actually kept. Without real transparency and enforcement mechanisms, these commitments risk becoming empty words.
Read more about the current $50 M commitments made by the Commanders.
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We need a new metro infill station and pedestrian access over excessive parking structures to ensure our neighborhoods are further connected by this development, not congested or cut off.
The Commanders want three huge parking garages with 8,000 spaces towering over an otherwise green neighborhood — in a “heat island.”
Nats Park has ~1,250 parking spots for a stadium of ~41,500. That’s 1 spot per 33 stadium seats. Applying that ratio to RFK would mean fewer than 2,000 parking spots, not 8,000.
After hundreds of neighbors testified on July 29th (thank you!), the Commanders said they would “consider alternative siting” for two garages and delay the third to evaluate the need for it. The third garage is not eliminated from the plans, however, just delayed. We must continue to fight for minimal parking.
Read more from Kingman Park, Not Kingman Parking.
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We must protect existing green space, and public access to it. Any new development should preserve and improve our natural surroundings, not damage them. An impact study has only been done on demolishing the old stadium, but we demand an environmental impact study for new development before this deal is signed.
The athletic fields, SportsPlex, and other limited-use areas are all amazing benefits, but they’re not always open to the public. While the current deal promises a percentage of parks and open space, the definition is not clear. Green space should mean any area that a neighbor can spread out a picnic blanket. The Commanders can build a concrete slab with a bench on it and claim it toward the percentage they state. We demand the terms sheet be updated to maintain and expand existing, publicly accessible green space.
Read more for the Sierra Club DC’s RFK Action.
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Currently, there are zero commitments listed in the terms sheet to develop the site besides the stadium and parking. This development must prioritize community needs including retail and mixed use development that will bring grocery stores, pharmacies, and child care to our Wards. Before the DC Council votes on a deal, there must be specific commitments in the terms sheet to develop percentages of retail and mixed use properties that make our neighborhoods healthier and more welcoming for all every day, not just on game day.
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There must be a comprehensive, clearly coordinated approach to public safety for the surrounding community – including a unified policing strategy, youth services and programming, crisis response, sanitation, and public amenities.
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A meaningful partnership means investing in local culture and youth – supporting our schools, libraries, arts, and sports and recreation centers show a real commitment to our community.
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Jobs created by this project must go to local residents, pay a living wage, and come with training programs that open doors to long-term careers, not just temporary work.
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To prevent displacement, this development must deliver truly affordable housing, protect local residents from rising costs, and offer pathways to homeownership.
