After landing Nationals, D.C. officials want Redskins back
The euphoria of getting the Washington Nationals baseball team appears to have city officials giddy with ambition. Their next goal: Bring back the Washington Redskins.
D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission Chairman Mark Tuohey and Mayor Tony Williams plan to meet with Redskins owner Dan Snyder to discuss bringing the team back to RFK Stadium.
"We are going to talk to him to see what his interests are," Tuohey says.
RFK Stadium's two tenants -- the Nationals, whose new stadium got under way this week, and D.C. United -- are leaving, and the vacated site could be the perfect space to build a new stadium.
A date to meet with Snyder has not been set, but Tuohey hopes to discuss the idea before the end of the summer.
If the prospect of a new stadium to replace the nine-year-old FedEx Field in Landover has any merit in Snyder's mind, the Redskins aren't letting on.
"Why would you sit down with a mayor who's about to leave office?" says team spokesman Karl Swanson. "We are not meeting with anybody. I don't know why we would."
This is about the Nats moving out, United moving out, RFK getting torn down and then inviting Danny to build the palace he REALLY wants on the site -- a site that has Metro at the front door, more road access and adequate on-site parking (and probably room for more).
I'm sure this is a pipe dream, but it would sure be sweet! Who cares what happens to Fedex Field? The skins should be in DC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You can't do epic **** with basic people." - DJax "We're on the rise, man, whether you're on the train or not." - Josh Norman
There are a couple reasons I'd be very shocked if the Skins even considered this.
1. Part of the purchase price Snyder paid for the Skins was for FedEx field. I'm sure it's not even close to being paid off yet. I don't think he'd be willing to pony up the several hundred million bucks necessary to build a new stadium, when his current one is the largest in the NFL, has the most expensive tickets and still sells out.
2. More than that, as the owner, Snyder gets all stadium revenue. I'm sure DC wouldn't agree to giving him all the revenue, since they own the land that the stadium would be built on. At the very least, they'd charge a pretty penny for rent.
No way that happens, not a chance ... as someone else pointed out, what happens to FedEx? Do you really think Maryland wants an NFL stadium (and a big one at that) just sitting there, unused? Not. Going. To. Happen.
Fios wrote:Do you really think Maryland wants an NFL stadium (and a big one at that) just sitting there, unused? Not. Going. To. Happen.
Ever heard of the Capital Center?
I do agree with you, just not for that reason.
Yes, I have, I have even seen games there but that's a little bit of an apples and orages comparison in that football is a MUCH higher revenue sport; the Cap Centre was used 24 years before being abandoned and the state of Maryland footed $71 million of the construction bill for FedEx. All of these things go to prove my initial point.
I could see this happening for a few reasons
1. Danny wants a SB in D.C. if the folk in D.C. build him a studium with a roof...I think he'd go.
2. If you look at the new stadiums build in the last decade FedEx is the worsts!! Baltimore and Tampa have awesome stadiums again if D.C. built one on the waterfront with some character???
As for FedEx the terps could draw 90,000 couldn't they??
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
DEHog wrote:I could see this happening for a few reasons 1. Danny wants a SB in D.C. if the folk in D.C. build him a studium with a roof...I think he'd go.
2. If you look at the new stadiums build in the last decade FedEx is the worsts!! Baltimore and Tampa have awesome stadiums again if D.C. built one on the waterfront with some character???
As for FedEx the terps could draw 90,000 couldn't they??
My only concern would be if "The Danny" does the same thing to his season ticket holders that the Eagles did to theirs when they built the new stadium:
Require that everyone pay a "licensing fee" if they want to keep their seats.
Fran Farren "Justice Hog"
Newark, DE
“God didn't give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving and controlled.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Snyder owns FedEx. He keeps all the revenue generated there. As long as FedEx is still a decent stadium (which it should be for quite a long time), the only way he moves is if D.C. builds him a stadium, gives it to him, builds parking area and gives that to him as well. I know the City Council is dumb, but they aren't stupid.
The chance that this happens anytime soon is zero, maybe even less.
This isn't a surprise - when DC was pushing to get the 2012 Olympics to the region, part of the plan was to build a new 100,000 seat state-of-the-art stadium to replace RFK. At that time, they discussed the possibility of luring the Redskins back. I don't think they're talking about short term, I think the city is looking at a number of years from now.
...and Justice, yes - RFK has TONS of parking and of course, metro very close.
PS - I think it's a long long shot but why not give it a try? Alls they can say is no...
The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.
What other team and owner would even think of moving out of a 10 year old stadium. I like the idea. How long would this idea take, within a year for the done deal 3 years to build, back in DC for the start of 2010 season. I Like it, Go for it Danny.
redskingush wrote:What other team and owner would even think of moving out of a 10 year old stadium.
None. And Snyder isn't considering it either.
"Why would you sit down with a mayor who's about to leave office?" says team spokesman Karl Swanson. "We are not meeting with anybody. I don't know why we would."
Virginia wants them also because their base is out of Ashburn, Va but it won't happen. To much money spent on the stadium they already have to simply walk away from it. What would become of it anyway...a concert stadium...soccor stadium? It was not designed for baseball.
Having just raped the taxpayer for what may ultimately be a $1 billion Nationals stadium project (uh huh, yeah, right, that's gonna pay for itself pffffffffffffffffffffffffft pass the joint), Tony Williams figures why not shoot for the moon? Snyder would move if DC offered him a better deal than Fedex. DC can offer anything Snyder wants, they don't care who pays for it, for the politicians it's all funny money. If taxpayers are stupid enough to pay for the National stadium (what's the cost up to now? $600 million? $800 million?), they'll pay for anything. Go for it, Tony.
old-timer wrote:Having just raped the taxpayer for what may ultimately be a $1 billion Nationals stadium project (uh huh, yeah, right, that's gonna pay for itself pffffffffffffffffffffffffft pass the joint), Tony Williams figures why not shoot for the moon? Snyder would move if DC offered him a better deal than Fedex. DC can offer anything Snyder wants, they don't care who pays for it, for the politicians it's all funny money. If taxpayers are stupid enough to pay for the National stadium (what's the cost up to now? $600 million? $800 million?), they'll pay for anything. Go for it, Tony.
Do your research before talking of this alleged taxpayer rape. I'm a longtime DC resident and not one dime is coming out of my pocket. Larger business' will get raped, not individuals... but they wanted to get raped b/c they pushed for a team.
The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.
PulpExposure wrote:There are a couple reasons I'd be very shocked if the Skins even considered this.
1. Part of the purchase price Snyder paid for the Skins was for FedEx field. I'm sure it's not even close to being paid off yet. I don't think he'd be willing to pony up the several hundred million bucks necessary to build a new stadium, when his current one is the largest in the NFL, has the most expensive tickets and still sells out. 2. More than that, as the owner, Snyder gets all stadium revenue. I'm sure DC wouldn't agree to giving him all the revenue, since they own the land that the stadium would be built on. At the very least, they'd charge a pretty penny for rent.
Bingo!
I could see maybe building a domed stadium, or one with a retractable roof at the RFK site. Then they could host SBs. That would be the only reason the Danny would ever consider something like that. Also, they have a contract with FedEx for the naming rights. I'm sure that FE would consider it a breach to move the team. I could see some kind of arrangement to play a couple of games a season in DC (maybe one pre-season, one regular season) or something like that. Of course, DC would have to pony up big $$$ for the Danny to even consider it.
Andre Carter wrote:Damn man, you know your football.
An NFC East Championship game under a dome ?
