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 and doesn’t help the surrounding community, as study after study has demonstrated.

  • 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

Stuart Denyer
Elizabeth Owens
Marie Henderson
Kathleen Jackson
Robert Emberson
Martha Byers
Maurice Landes
Nathan Schuur
Barbara Young
Melchina Smulson
Jake Sacks
Conor McGrath
Geoffrey W Barron
sam krause
Katy Lang
Rachel Clement
Barbara Kraft
Josh Blaher
Jeffrey Davis
Josh Krantz
Bryant Martinez
Rachel Blessing
Mark Lance
Samara Tu
Sophie Toth
Tappan Parker
Elle McDermott
Brody Armstrong
Rene Pizarro
Bryan Koenig
3,927 SIGNATURES
4,000 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Stuart Denyer
    signed 2023-08-05 04:09:11 -0400
  • Elizabeth Owens
    signed 2023-08-04 10:21:36 -0400
  • Marie Henderson
    signed via 2023-08-04 09:35:59 -0400
  • Kathleen Jackson
    signed 2023-08-04 08:43:29 -0400
  • Robert Emberson
    signed via 2023-08-04 05:44:14 -0400
  • Martha Byers
    signed 2023-08-03 23:14:50 -0400
  • Maurice Landes
    signed 2023-08-03 21:42:03 -0400
    Public investment in a new stadium at the RFK site would yield a low return for DC taxpayers, and particularly for Capitol Hill and nearby communities that have to deal with the game day impacts. If DC wants to make an investment in sports, the more affordable and highest return across the DC community might be in facilities, equipment and coaching resources to expand/improve interscholastic athletics at the middle school and high school levels.
  • Nathan Schuur
    signed 2023-08-03 20:04:46 -0400
  • Barbara Young
    signed 2023-08-03 11:16:09 -0400
    Use the space for housing and recreational activities such as a atv and dirtbike trail to give a safeplace for those who partake in that activity. This would also cut down on police chases and traffic gridlock.
  • Melchina Smulson
    signed 2023-08-02 22:31:53 -0400
  • Jake Sacks
    signed via 2023-08-02 22:08:14 -0400
  • Conor McGrath
    signed 2023-08-02 21:40:04 -0400
    This neighborhood has so many needs that could be met with this space: housing, retail, restaurants, parks, recreation and community space. It would be irresponsible to use this space as another football stadium that would sit empty for more than half the year.
  • Geoffrey W Barron
    signed 2023-08-02 21:36:51 -0400
    I don’t want my tax dollars subsidizing wealthy owners. Let’s use tax dollars to improve the lives of and build housing for ordinary DC residents, to fight climate change. Let’s turn the RFK complex into a vibrant neighborhood, not leave it a sea of parking spaces for occasional games.
  • sam krause
    signed 2023-08-02 20:14:43 -0400
    This ecological disaster can be averted. Please take life into consideration instead of a few football games, which will never exist without the preservation of our earth.
  • Katy Lang
    signed 2023-08-02 19:27:20 -0400
  • Rachel Clement
    signed via 2023-08-02 18:34:23 -0400
    Don’t put this money sucking trash in DC! Football is not worthy of DC’s subsidies and welfare. Let’s help real people instead.
  • Barbara Kraft
    signed 2023-08-02 16:05:57 -0400
  • Josh Blaher
    signed 2023-08-02 15:29:58 -0400
  • Jeffrey Davis
    signed 2023-08-02 15:09:20 -0400
  • Josh Krantz
    signed via 2023-08-02 14:38:51 -0400
  • Bryant Martinez
    signed via 2023-08-02 14:33:37 -0400
  • Rachel Blessing
    signed 2023-08-02 13:56:26 -0400
  • Mark Lance
    signed 2023-08-02 13:54:05 -0400
  • Samara Tu
    signed 2023-08-02 13:21:13 -0400
  • Sophie Toth
    signed via 2023-08-02 11:33:07 -0400
  • Tappan Parker
    signed via 2023-08-02 11:19:12 -0400
  • Elle McDermott
    signed via 2023-08-02 11:03:47 -0400
  • Brody Armstrong
    signed via 2023-08-02 10:31:39 -0400
  • Rene Pizarro
    signed via 2023-08-02 10:23:43 -0400
  • Bryan Koenig
    signed 2023-08-02 10:18:47 -0400