Hail No to a New Stadium at RFK - Add Your Name Below

Read my August 1, 2023 op-ed in the Washington Post.

If you believe the 190 acres of RFK's campus could be more than the next NFL stadium, say #HailNo and sign this petition below:

"As a DC resident, I am against a deal that gives away a single square foot of land or a single District tax dollar to build a new stadium.

  • I believe the 190 acres alongside the Anacostia River could be so much more than oceans of asphalt for surface parking and a 60,000 seat stadium.

  • On average, most NFL stadiums only hold 10 to 20 events annually outside of eight NFL home games, meaning the stadium sits empty more than 300 days a year. An enormous space that sits empty doesn’t spur economic growth or create meaingful jobs and doesn’t help the surrounding community.

  • Make no mistake - people drive to NFL games and they're going to park somewhere, regardless of how much is available. At San Francisco's new stadium, they had to rent out all of the parking lots at a nearby amusement park. Where do you think people will park around RFK if there isn't enough parking for fans?

  • Nationwide, since 1997 we've seen the NFL pit communities against each other while collecting more than $6.7 billion dollars from taxpayers to build stadiums for privately-owned teams. Overall, local taxpayers end up footing around half the bill for a new NFL stadium.  

  • The costs of these projects are always higher than estimated. The five most recent newly-constructed NFL stadiums have surpassed more than $1 billion dollars each!

  • As a DC resident, I don't want to see DC hoodwinked into paying for a billionaire's stadium. The District needs our tax dollars to create new housing at all levels, support local DC entrepreneurs who run small and local business, take urgent steps forward to shift to a 100% clean energy environment, build larger and modern schools for our growing city, fund our Metro system, and in general spend money to make life better and easier for DC residents.

  • Sitting on the banks of the historic Anacostia River, a new stadium and all of the traffic and trash that would come along, would set the Anacostia River's improvement back. RFK has never had to meet standards set by the National Environmental Policy Act, and I am concerned any deal worked out under the outgoing Congress would try to extend the exemption to holding the site accountable to environmental standards.

Dedicating millions of dollars to bring an NFL stadium to the District is a bad deal and a poor use of an incredible opportunity. 

Thank you."

Who's signing

Scott Carlson
Melissa Kramer
Todd Cain
John Davisson
Dale Kaufman
Kate Coventry
Daniel Schramm
TIm Minelli
Mickey Mouse
Daniel Donoghue
Wendy Perry
Walter Dean
Conor Bernstein
Mark Adkins
Patrick Sheehan
Matt Renaud
Marian Connolly
Zeke Reich
Charise Van Liew
Kathryn Stephens
Joseph Toscano
Delacey Skinner
Jorge Nomdedeu
Lance Hayden
Karen Zill
Karen Azeez
Cheryl Zandt
Brenda Garrett
Julie Plavsic
4,002 SIGNATURES
4,000 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Scott Carlson
    signed 2019-01-07 10:53:39 -0500
    With the influx of people—and particularly younger people—to the District, space within our borders is at a premium. We have the opportunity to re-purpose this space for the benefit of residents all year round. While I can appreciate pro football, devoting this much space to something that would only benefit the community economically and sports-wise for a few days a year does not seem to be in the best interests of the District of Columbia. Sports facilities for all to enjoy year round is a healthier and wiser decision.
  • Melissa Kramer
    signed 2019-01-07 09:53:51 -0500
  • Todd Cain
    signed via 2019-01-07 08:21:25 -0500
  • John Davisson
    signed via 2019-01-07 01:02:56 -0500
  • Dale Kaufman
    @dale4tiger tweeted link to this page. 2019-01-06 21:21:03 -0500
    Sign the petition: Hail No to a New Stadium at RFK - Add Your Name Below https://www.hailnorfk.com/?recruiter_id=1220727
  • Dale Kaufman
    signed via 2019-01-06 21:20:46 -0500
  • Kate Coventry
    signed 2019-01-06 15:14:12 -0500
  • Daniel Schramm
    signed 2019-01-06 11:06:45 -0500
    Daniel Schramm
  • TIm Minelli
    signed 2019-01-04 20:44:48 -0500
  • Mickey Mouse
    signed via 2019-01-04 16:55:45 -0500
  • Daniel Donoghue
    signed 2019-01-03 22:38:41 -0500
    Under no circumstances should $1.00 of taxpayer money be spent to subsidize billionaire Dan Snyder.
  • Wendy Perry
    signed via 2019-01-03 00:04:32 -0500
    I do not support moving The Redskins to RFK stadium. Giving a millionaire owner a free ride with tax payer funding for a stadium, while leaving a giant hulking stadium out in Prince George’s county for someone else to clean up is poor land use policy. Then there is the name of the team which is beyond offensive! Lastly football as a sport is on the way out. As a nurse I remain very concerned out about the lasting damage of these concussions. Educated parents are choosing other sports for their children to play, football is on the way out and is a very poor investment for the RFK-reservation 13 site. I remain firmly opposed!!
  • Walter Dean
    signed via 2019-01-02 22:52:06 -0500
  • Conor Bernstein
    signed 2019-01-02 12:43:03 -0500
  • Mark Adkins
    signed 2019-01-01 20:01:31 -0500
  • Patrick Sheehan
    signed 2019-01-01 16:52:20 -0500
  • Matt Renaud
    signed 2018-12-31 22:52:18 -0500
  • Marian Connolly
    signed 2018-12-31 22:12:52 -0500
    Marian Connolly
  • Zeke Reich
    signed 2018-12-31 22:04:27 -0500
  • Charise Van Liew
    signed 2018-12-31 17:35:10 -0500
  • Kathryn Stephens
    signed via 2018-12-31 15:34:32 -0500
  • Joseph Toscano
    signed 2018-12-31 13:44:57 -0500
    I could be okay with a stadium if it were not with Snyder, if the team (under a new owner) changed its name, and if they offered to build a carbon-free facility, green public space and affordable housing.
  • Delacey Skinner
    signed 2018-12-31 13:25:56 -0500
  • Jorge Nomdedeu
    signed 2018-12-31 12:59:28 -0500
  • Lance Hayden
    signed 2018-12-31 11:24:31 -0500
  • Karen Zill
    signed via 2018-12-31 10:22:20 -0500
  • Karen Azeez
    signed 2018-12-31 09:44:33 -0500
    Karen Azeez
  • Cheryl Zandt
    signed 2018-12-31 08:26:25 -0500
  • Brenda Garrett
    signed 2018-12-31 01:48:17 -0500
    No No No we need affordable housing
  • Julie Plavsic
    signed 2018-12-31 00:20:17 -0500
    No!