Owner Josh Harris bought the Washington Commanders franchise and gave himself mandates. ... that for only a moment could have seemed like empty promises to the fans of the long-struggling club.
Fix the seedy Dan Snyder image? Check.
Assemble leaders who can win? Adam Peters. Dan Quinn. Jayden Daniels. Check.
Oversee - someday - the construction of a new stadium.
Check ... being written.
D.C. is closing in on a $3 billion deal to bring the Commanders back to the District. The new stadium would be at the old RFK Stadium site.
But this is not just a matter of sentimentality.
Is a matter of dollars and sense.
And there is a "secret cost'' here that citizens will love ... so much so that Harris has every right to make sure fans hear the good news so it's no secret ...
The Commanders are the ones who will pay the majority share of the costs for the stadium.
According to documents obtained by News4, that number from the team's could be up to $2.5 billion. So the taxpayer is still involved, and we're not dismissing the idea of $500 million here.
But the last two buildings were rinky-dink and cheesy and cheap.
There are benefits to having a first-class facility. So everybody pitches in ... but the team carries the load.
The deal would call for the stadium and parking to be done by 2030, the same timeline that Harris has campaigned for in past discussions.
If the agreement becomes official? Check. Harris and the Commanders will once again have done something right after a quarter-century absence of such a thing.
