Washington D.C.’s NFL team has lost a prominent proponent in its efforts to build a new stadium.
According to NBC Sports, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said that he has stopped working toward the goal of a new stadium for the team. Discussions of a land swap between Maryland officials and the federal government seem to have fallen apart. The plan would have freed up a parcel of land for a potential new stadium that is adjacent to the MGM National Harbor casino.
NBC Sports cites a Washington Post report, which notes that the governor’s spokeswoman confirmed that Hogan has informed team officials that he is withdrawing from efforts to persuade the team to build its next stadium in Oxon Cove Park, adjacent to MGM National Harbor, at this time.
The team's preference is to return to RFK Stadium in a new or rebuilt structure, which the D.C. mayor was a proponent of last fall. However, changes in the political environment have complicated those efforts.
The current Washington stadium sits on federal land, which means the city government would need to get control of the parcel before it could build on the existing plot, which seems unlikely.
Washington’s lease at FedEx Field runs through 2027.
