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

Linda Lenrow Lopez
Billy Mullins
Allyson Perleoni
Jim Hill
Kyle Nicholls Cobb
Joanna Belanger
Sydney Henderson
Sarah Wasko
Kurt Muhlbauer
Judy B
Margaret Roche
Andy Anderson
Christopher Paige
John Womeldorf
Philip Leffler
Charles Baker
Ann Womeldorf
Adam Leader-Smith
Trevor Pyle
William Cartrette
Alexandra Valdez
Jacques Ledbetter
Jocelyn Macdonald
Laurie Duncan
Tracy Roman
Nancy Cox
Ryan Merkley
Ian Goldsmith
Joey Boyer
Nik Philipsen
4,003 SIGNATURES
4,000 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Linda Lenrow Lopez
    signed 2018-12-18 16:57:12 -0500
  • Billy Mullins
    signed via 2018-12-18 16:53:19 -0500
  • Allyson Perleoni
    signed 2018-12-18 16:52:18 -0500
  • Jim Hill
    signed 2018-12-18 16:50:27 -0500
  • Kyle Nicholls Cobb
    signed via 2018-12-18 16:45:26 -0500
  • Joanna Belanger
    signed 2018-12-18 16:42:41 -0500
  • Sydney Henderson
    signed 2018-12-18 16:38:17 -0500
    Sydney Henderson
  • Sarah Wasko
    signed 2018-12-18 16:34:24 -0500
  • Kurt Muhlbauer
    signed 2018-12-18 16:27:14 -0500
    I strongly oppose giving any money or tax breaks to Dan Snyder or any wealthy owner of a sports franchise.
  • Judy B
    signed 2018-12-18 16:27:12 -0500
  • Margaret Roche
    signed 2018-12-18 16:25:15 -0500
  • Andy Anderson
    signed 2018-12-18 16:24:31 -0500
  • Christopher Paige
    signed 2018-12-18 16:23:27 -0500
    As a lifelong Redskins fan, we should not be using public funds to support a multi-billion dollar sports franchise. Our city is facing a housing crisis, crumbling infrastructure, rampant homelessness and neglected public schools. We need to address those issues before we give so much as a cent to Dan Snyder.
  • John Womeldorf
    signed 2018-12-18 16:19:13 -0500
  • Philip Leffler
    signed 2018-12-18 16:19:12 -0500
  • Charles Baker
    signed 2018-12-18 16:17:47 -0500
  • Ann Womeldorf
    signed 2018-12-18 16:16:10 -0500
  • Adam Leader-Smith
    signed 2018-12-18 16:13:59 -0500
  • Trevor Pyle
    signed 2018-12-18 16:12:17 -0500
  • William Cartrette
    signed 2018-12-18 16:12:07 -0500
    William Cartrette
  • Alexandra Valdez
    signed 2018-12-18 16:10:43 -0500
  • Jacques Ledbetter
    signed 2018-12-18 16:07:32 -0500
    DC already has an NFL stadium! This land can be better developed for the community and the city at-large!
  • Jocelyn Macdonald
    signed 2018-12-18 16:06:50 -0500
  • Laurie Duncan
    signed 2018-12-18 16:06:47 -0500
  • Tracy Roman
    signed 2018-12-18 16:06:10 -0500
  • Nancy Cox
    signed 2018-12-18 16:04:35 -0500
  • Ryan Merkley
    signed 2018-12-18 15:53:02 -0500
  • Ian Goldsmith
    signed 2018-12-18 15:49:19 -0500
  • Joey Boyer
    signed via 2018-12-18 15:43:37 -0500
    As I DC resident, I feel this is the wrong use of DC’s limited space and resources. Please reconsider and listen to DC residents about this proposed project.
  • Nik Philipsen
    signed 2018-12-18 15:37:05 -0500
    Nik Philipsen