RFK | |
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 RFK Stadium with the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument visible in the background in 1988 | |
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  Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Location within the District of Columbia  Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (the United States) | |
| Former names | District of Columbia Stadium (1961–1969) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2400 East Capitol Street SE |
| Location | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Coordinates | 38°53′24″N 76°58′19″W / 38.890°N 76.972°W |
| Public transit |  Washington Metro   at Stadium–Armory Metrobus: 96, 97, B2, D6 |
| Owner | District of Columbia |
| Operator | Events DC |
| Capacity | Baseball: 43,500 (1961) 45,016 (1971) 45,596 (2005) Football or soccer: 56,692 (1961) 45,596 (2005–2019) 20,000 (2012–2017, MLS) |
| Field size | Football: 120 yd × 53.333 yd (110 m × 49 m) Soccer: 110 yd × 72 yd (101 m × 66 m) Baseball: Left field: 335 ft (102 m) Left-center: 380 ft (116 m) Center field: 410 ft (125 m) Right-center: 380 ft (116 m) Right field: 335 ft (102 m) Backstop: 54 ft (16 m)  |
| Surface | TifGrand Bermuda grass[1] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 8, 1960[2] |
| Opened | October 1, 1961 |
| Closed | September 15, 2019 |
| Demolished | 2023–present |
| Construction cost | $24 million ($245 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | George Leighton Dahl, Architects and Engineers, Inc. |
| Structural engineer | Osborn Engineering Company |
| Services engineer | Ewin Engineering Associates |
| General contractor | McCloskey and Co. |
| Tenants | |
| Washington Redskins (NFL) 1961–1996 George Washington Colonials (NCAA) 1961–1966 Washington Senators (MLB) 1962–1971 Washington Whips (USA / NASL) 1967–1968 Howard Bison (NCAA) 1974–1976 Washington Diplomats (NASL) 1974, 1977–1981 Team America (NASL) 1983 Washington Federals (USFL) 1983–1984 Washington Diplomats (ASL/APSL) 1988–1990 D.C. United (MLS) 1996–2017 Washington Freedom (WUSA) 2001–2003 Washington Nationals (MLB) 2005–2007 Military Bowl (NCAA) 2008–2012 | |
| Website | |
| eventsdc | |
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about two miles (3 km) due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the west bank of the Anacostia River and next to the D.C. Armory. Opened in 1961, it was owned by the federal government until 1986.[4]
RFK Stadium was home to a National Football League (NFL) team, two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, five professional soccer teams, two college football teams, a bowl game, and a USFL team. It hosted five NFC Championship games, two MLB All-Star Games, men's and women's World Cup matches, nine men's and women's first-round soccer games of the 1996 Olympics, three MLS Cup matches, two MLS All-Star games, and numerous American friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches. It hosted college football, college soccer, baseball exhibitions, boxing matches, a cycling race, an American Le Mans Series auto race, marathons, and dozens of major concerts and other events.
RFK was one of the first major stadiums designed to host both baseball and football. Although other stadiums already served this purpose, such as Cleveland Stadium (1931) and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (1950), RFK was one of the first to employ what became known as the circular "cookie-cutter" design.
It is owned and operated by Events DC, the successor agency to the DC Armory Board, a quasi-public organization affiliated with the city government, under a lease that runs until 2038 from the National Park Service, which owns the land.[5]
In September 2019, Events DC officials announced plans to demolish the stadium due to maintenance costs.[6] In September 2020, the cost was estimated at $20 million.[7] Demolition of the surrounding area began in 2023; however, demolition of the stadium itself has not begun as of 2024.[8][9]
As of February 2024, there is an active bill in the U.S. Congress[10] to extend the lease by 99 years.[11] This bill passed the House on February 28, 2024, and is pending before the Senate.[12]
On May 2, 2024 it was announced that the stadium was set to be demolished.[13]
- ^ "50 Years: Willie Leak maintains TifGrand bermudagrass at RFK Stadium". SportsTurf. November 30, 2001. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ^ "Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium". Ballpark Tour. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "District of Columbia gets RFK Stadium". Free Lance-Star. (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press. October 18, 1986. p. 11.
- ^ DeBonis, Mike (August 2, 2013). "City Will Study RFK Stadium Options in Wake of Soccer Deal". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 14, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
razewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
demolitionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Beaujon, Andrew (April 26, 2023). "What's Next for RFK Stadium?". Washingtonian. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ Janezich, Larry (March 30, 2023). "Update on Demolition of RFK – Phase 3 Structural Demolition To Begin". Capitol Hill Corner. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ "H.R. 4984 (IH) - D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act". GovInfo. July 27, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ Segraves, Mark (September 20, 2023). "RFK Stadium site redevelopment advances, after House Oversight Committee drama". WRC-TV. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "H.R.4984 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress". H.R.4984 - D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ Flynn, Meagan (May 2, 2024). "RFK Stadium officially set to be demolished". The Washington Post.