Demolition of old RFK Stadium nearly complete, 1 year after DC took control of site
The skyline along east Capital Street in the District has changed dramatically, as crews have nearly finished tearing town the old RFK stadium after months of hard work.
The rusted out eyesore on the banks of the Anacostia River is no more, for the most part. There are still a few concrete structures standing, but gone is the hulking metal monster that has sat largely empty since D.C. United played their last game there in 2017.
On Jan. 6, 2025, then-President Joe Biden signed the paperwork giving D.C. the authority to develop the long-neglected site. Later in the year, city officials approved a $3.7 billion plan to build the Washington Commanders a new stadium on the site surrounded by residential and commercial development.
The new, 65,000-seat stadium, will have a roof, allowing the venue to host concerts and special events year-round.
The project, which includes a $1.1 billion investment of city taxpayer funds, is expected to be completed in time for the Commanders home opener in 2030.
Construction workers told WTOP that if the weather cooperates, they should have the site cleared in a couple months. What was once a massive stadium has been reduced to a giant hole in the ground. Virtually all the metal has been removed.
The famous bust of Robert F. Kennedy that stood just outside the main entrance at the ticket booth remains on the site, outside the construction fence on the west side of the construction zone along 22nd Street.