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Southeast DC residents weigh in on new Commanders stadium

About 100 people who live near the site of where the new Washington Commanders stadium is slated to be built gathered at a school in Southeast D.C. to hear the plans for the $3.7 billion project.

The event, coordinated by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development’s office, included a presentation from Planning Director Anita Cozart, who informed the crowd at St. Coletta of Greater Washington that it will take about a year to finish the demolition of RFK Stadium.

Then, the construction of the new stadium will begin.

Ward 7 Council member Wendell Felder said he believes the D.C. Council made the best decision to pass the bill to bring the NFL team back to D.C.

“There’s been a lot of conversations from neighbors who wanted to participate in every step of the process. And hearing directly from residents, in terms of how they envision the site, and what the future of what the RFK campus could look like,” he said.

The hope is to have the stadium completed by 2030.

After presentations by Cozart and planning officials from the Commanders organization, the crowd broke into smaller groups to hear more information on things like parking, housing, retail and job opportunities.

“We’re really excited to have a voice that will help shape the vision which will really lift the floor for the whole community,” said Mike Rodrigues, the CEO of St. Coletta of Greater Washington, the special education school where the meeting was held.

“I’m here just to make sure that everything is set in place and that people who are born Washingtonians gets some of these good jobs,” said resident Tanya Martin.

Noniah Hoosa hopes the whole city benefits from the new stadium.

“It’s going to be a place where people are going to want to come,” he said. “And hopefully, we can host the Super Bowl here one day.”

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