Five stadium projects demonstrate the city’s passion for its pro teams.
Fans of pro sports teams in Washington, DC, may want to stock up on as much face paint and tailgating gear as they can find. Given the rush of stadium projects on the horizon, it’s safe to say that cheering for the world’s best athletes is about to become a year-round job.
Whether your rooting interests lean toward football, soccer, basketball, hockey or baseball, you’re in for a real treat when the five planned projects are completed.
With the Wizards, Capitals, Nationals and DC United all planning to upgrade their digs — and with the city signing an agreement to bring the Commanders back to the hallowed grounds of RFK — the nation’s capital will have no equal when it comes to fielding the best venues in all of the major professional sports across North America.
The capstone on this record-setting run came last fall when Mayor Muriel Bowser and Monumental Sports & Entertainment owner Ted Leonsis jointly announced a deal that will result in an $800 million construction project to renovate and modernize Capital One Arena and extend the lease of the NBA’s Wizards and the NHL’s Capitals through the year 2050.
Bowser introduced the Downtown Arena Revitalization Act of 2024 to the District of Columbia City Council on October 18, 2024, three days before she and Leonsis shared their combined vision with the public. The agreement creates a new public-private partnership that will recreate Capital One Arena as a downtown retail and entertainment destination in time for the 2027-2028 season.
“The delivery of a brand-new arena marks the next significant investment Monumental Sports is making in the revitalization of Downtown D.C. We will build a best-in-class experience for fans, a world-class destination facility for athletes and continue to serve as a downtown anchor for economic vitality,” said Leonsis. “Our vision for a wholly reimagined sports and entertainment destination will be ambitious, reflective of our community, and designed to wow our most ardent supporters and casual fans. We want to capture the magic that comes from providing the most entertaining experience, which every guest deserves.”
Details of the Deal
For D.C., the win is truly a “monumental” one as it heads off an ill-fated attempt by the state of Virginia to woo the two pro sports teams across the state line. “We’re keeping Washington’s teams where they belong — here in the Sports Capital, and we’re doubling down on having a world-class destination and entertainment district in the center of D.C.,” Mayor Bowser said. “We know that when our Downtown does well, our city does well. This catalytic investment is an investment in our residents and businesses in all eight wards.”
The district is committing $515 million toward the arena construction project, while Monumental Sports will contribute at least $285 million toward the venture.
Derek Ford, president and CEO of the Washington DC Economic Partnership, said it’s a good deal for the city because a 10.25% tax on all ticket sales goes directly to the district. “It was easy to do this deal because you see all the taxes we collect just from the events,” he said. “Gallery Place did over 200 nights of activity in their prime. People go to Caps games and get there early to spend money on food and beverage. This is a huge win for the city.”
He adds that sports are just the start of it. “Hotel, housing and office space will be developed too,” says Ford. “And don’t forget — we have other pro sports teams that will benefit from these new developments. We have the DC Defenders (of the United Football League), the Washington Spirt (of the National Women’s Soccer League), and the Washington Mystics (of the Women’s National Basketball Association).”
Three Other Projects Gain Steam
Speaking of soccer, DC United of MLS plans to add 10,000 seats and a new roof to Audi Field, which has served as the soccer team’s home since it opened on July 14, 2018. United has averaged 90.7% occupancy of its 20,000-seat stadium but wants to increase capacity to keep up with the competition in MLS. New seating and a partially retractable roof will be part of the improvements, the club says.
Meanwhile, the Nationals of MLB recently released renderings for upgrades it has planned to the exterior of National Park. The baseball team envisions turning the ballpark into a year-round destination for dining, retail, entertainment and baseball. Incorporating more walkability along N and First Streets will be part of the project as well.
Finally, Mayor Bowser publicly announced on December 17, 2024, that the city would officially launch an effort to win back the Washington Commanders of the NFL to a redeveloped RFK Stadium site. The effort is backed by the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984) in Congress. The bill revitalizes more than 170 acres of waterfront space and positions DC to become the home of the Commanders once again. The NFL franchise that currently plays at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland reached the NFC Championship Game earlier this year.
Speaking in mid-February, the mayor said that her plan is to build a new NFL stadium on the District’s RFK site as the anchor of the redevelopment project.
The deal was then finalized by both parties in August 2025 once it was officially approved by the DC City Council. The $3.8 billion project will include a $2.7 billion investment from the Commanders and a $1.1 billion commitment in public funding from the city. The new venue is slated to be part of a larger, mixed-use development that will include housing, retail space and other uses on the site of the now-demolished RFK Stadium, which hosted the NFL team from 1961 to 1996.
Details of the stadium plan call for 65,000 seats, plus a sportsplex, shops, homes and other facilities as part of an overall entertainment district. If all goes as expected, the Commanders will break ground next year and move into their new home in 2030. Team owner Josh Harris has deemed the project an “historic moment” and one that will become the single largest private investment in the history of the District.
