Monday 23 May 2022 09:43 PM NFL's Commanders 'drop $100million on potential site for their new stadium in ... trends now
The Washington Commanders have paid more than $100 million for a 200-acre plot of land in Virginia, where the team could potentially build a stadium to replace 25-year-old FedEx Field.
A source with knowledge of the agreement confirmed the details to DailyMail.com on Monday. The deal was originally reported by ESPN's John Keim.
The Commanders finalized the pact last week, but it hasn't yet been filed with Virginia's Prince William County. One source told ESPN that the land is the preferred site for a new stadium – a proposed 60,000-seat domed facility – and the team could potentially add another 65 to 70 acres around the site on which retail shops, restaurants and apartments could be built.
Before anything is decided, the team will need to know how much funding it will receive from state and local governments for the project, according to ESPN. Meanwhile, the state of Maryland has pledged $400 million to develop the area around FedEx Field in hopes of convincing the Commanders to stay put.
The location of the proposed site is located just off an I-95 exit in Woodbridge, Virginia, although various other reports have placed it in nearby Dumfries. A team spokesman did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for clarification.
In either case, a new stadium in Prince William County would be considerably further from Washington DC than Landover, Maryland's FedEx Field, which is just 11 miles from the Capitol. Dumfries, for instance, is more than 30 miles away from the Capitol, and that distance is exacerbated by the region's notorious traffic problems.
The Washington Commanders have paid more than $100 million for a 200-acre plot of land in Virginia , where the team could potentially build a stadium to replace 25-year-old FedEx Field. News of the potential move surfaced as the Commanders and team owner Dan Snyder (center right with wife and team co-owner Tanya) face several investigations over allegations of sexual harassment and financial malpractice
A new stadium in Prince William County would be considerably further from Washington DC than Landover, Maryland's FedEx Field, which is just 11 miles from the Capitol. Dumfries, for instance, is more than 30 miles away from the Capitol, and that distance is exacerbated by the region's notorious traffic problems
ESPN's used the stadium proposal to joke about the Commanders' unpopular name change
'As far away from DC as Dumfries looks on the map, it's even farther when you consider I-95 traffic & overall commuter trends,' tweeted Sports Business Journal's Ben Fischer.
'More like the Washington Commuters amirite,' tweeted ESPN's Mina Kimes.
Political pollster and former baseball writer Nate Silver suggested that all NFL teams be named for the actual town in which they play.
'Thinking about running for president on a platform of requiring teams to be named after the city where their stadium/arena is actually located then taking in some hot NFC East action between the East Rutherford Giants and the Dumfries Commanders,' Silver joked.
The Commanders' proposed move isn't unusual for NFL teams, many of which play outside their nearest metropolitan areas. As Silver mentioned, both the Giants and New York Jets play at East Rutherford, New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, while the New England Patriots play in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is situated between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.
As Keim noted, the Commanders' proposed site sits 80 miles away from Richmond, Virginia, and could potentially help to draw more fans from the Commonwealth.
And like the Patriots suburban home, the proposed Commanders stadium would be surrounded by the kinds of shops and hotels that would cater to NFL fans.
The team has played at FedEx Field since it was completed under former owner Jack Kent Cooke in 1997. The club owns the surrounding land, as well as the stadium itself, but fans have complained about the need for repairs. In January, several Philadelphia Eagles fans were seen falling onto FedEx Field when a railing snapped. Several fans claimed to have suffered minor injuries.
Political pollster and former baseball writer Nate Silver suggested that all NFL teams be named for the actual town in which they play
The club could try to relocate back to the District of Columbia, where the team formerly known as the Redskins played from 1937 until 1996, but that is considered federal land and would need approval from the US government. According to ESPN, such a move is unlikely.
News of the potential move surfaced as the Commanders and team owner Dan Snyder face several investigations over allegations of sexual harassment and financial malpractice.
'Nobody, and I mean nobody, does a narrative change like my favorite football team,' tweeted local comedian and sports radio personality Danny Rouhier. 'Snyder in hot water - Dumfries Stadium. It's legit impressive.'
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares recently launched an inquiry into the Commanders following allegations of financial improprieties raised by a congressional committee.
The announcement from Miyares in April came two weeks after the House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote to the Federal Trade Commission saying it found evidence of deceptive business practices over the span of more than a decade, including withholding ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable deposits from fans.
The Commanders denied the allegations in a letter to the FTC.
Several fans noted that Monday's news serves as a nice 'narrative change' for the Commanders
The NFL has said it engaged former Securities and Exchange Commission chair Mary Jo White 'to review the most serious matters raised by the committee.'
The Oversight Committee launched the probe into accusations of workplace misconduct against the team after the NFL refused to publicly release findings of its own investigation, which included sexual harassment claims against now-former employees and Snyder himself. Snyder has denied sexually harassing anyone.
After testimony by former
