In May, it was reported that the Washington Commanders paid $100 million for approximately 200 acres in Virginia, a move that is believed to be the first step in a new stadium for the team.
Per ESPN’s John Keim, the plans for the land are comprehensive.
According to a source, their plans include a 60,000-seat domed stadium — so it can be used throughout the year — as well as: the team’s practice facility; an amphitheater that seats between 15,000 and 20,000; a small indoor music arena; high-end retail shops; bars and restaurants and residential living. The roof would be translucent and the stadium’s facade could change colors — it would be white during the day and, for example, burgundy at night.
The Commanders currently play their home games at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, which opened in 1997. The state of Maryland has said that it would commit $400 million to develop the land around FedEx Field, and the Commanders — owned by Daniel Snyder — are keeping their options open.
But after so many negative situations in which the Commanders, former Washington Football Team, and former Washington Redskins have created and forwarded hostile work environment’s are starting to complicate the process.
Virginia Senator Jeremy McPike appeared on Washington D.C.’s “Grant and Danny Show” on Monday, after Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made press conference comments defending his tweets in which he attempted to create a false equivalency between protests in the wake of police brutality against people of color, and the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol building. Del Rio called the insurrection a “dust-up,” for which he later had to apologize.
Yup. Just sealed the deal to cast my vote as a NO. I think what’s burning down today is the stadium bill. #Commanders https://t.co/ay2eATAqh7
— Jeremy McPike ☮️ 🇺🇦 (@JeremyMcPike) June 8, 2022
“If that was the case and it was just him, but it’s not,” McPike said. “And you guys have covered this and it is plenty of other stuff going on unfortunately in the organization that it creates a lot of questions. Not only that, as you remember the last time we talked I said my number one issue is traffic and transportation. I have not heard anything about how they’re gonna deal with it. And so I said I’d listen.
“I met with (Commanders President) Jason Wright after we talked on the show last time. I met with him last week. And frankly, I was also scheduled to sit down with him tomorrow, but that’s off. I’m not going. It’s just done. I mean there’s too much stuff going on in the organization, too many unanswered questions. I mean, they’ve got to get it together.
“I’m a lifelong fan. I love, love seeing football, and good football, and I said last time, I’ll say it again: I believe in Ron and I think they’re gonna have a good season, but dang, I mean how many distractions can you put on the table at once?”
In a global sense, McPike believed that the franchise has become too toxic for any such endorsement to be considered.
“I think at this point, I don’t think there ever will be a vote. I think they’re gonna be counting heads on the numbers, the number of people voting yes or no, and my guess is the vote’s probably off the table.
“I think this is the nail in the coffin. I think you’re gonna see more legislators now that have already been cooling off to it just shake their heads and walk away. I think that’s where we’re at now.”
As generally happens in life, the Commanders have done all of the fooling around, and it now appears that the inevitable finding out has come to pass.
