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

Heather Caplan
Robin Blackwood
James McKay
Jenny Corbett
Craig Benson
Victoria Lord
Devarieste Curry
Tim Chambers
Judith Bohler
Josh Silver
Annie Scott
Matt Gallagher
Jerry Crute
Frances L Hoffmann
John Healey
Gregory Klass
James Stone
J. Miller
Mara Gassmann
Liz Campbell
Arthur Smith
Michael Newman
Alyssa McCrea
Cristina Amoruso
Sam Reilly
Michael McDonald
Matthew Shields
Bridget Sheaff
Nicole Gilmore
4,002 SIGNATURES
4,000 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Heather Caplan
    signed via 2018-12-14 17:10:29 -0500
  • Robin Blackwood
    signed 2018-12-14 17:10:03 -0500
  • James McKay
    signed via 2018-12-14 17:09:48 -0500
  • Jenny Corbett
    signed 2018-12-14 17:04:00 -0500
  • Craig Benson
    signed via 2018-12-14 17:02:42 -0500
    WE DO NOT NEED A STADIUM!


    THINK SMARTER. Think about what makes a community livable? Think about making the Anacostia River as valuable to all of us as Rock Creek is to the west side of the DC. Think about sports fields to help kids beat obesity. Think about walking paths to keep older people fit. Think about outdoor music venues to keep people connected and invigorated.


    This beautiful site could truly be something to remember. Don’t waste this opportunity on a stadium that functions eight times a year. Do something that future generations will think is wonderfully thoughtful.
  • Victoria Lord
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:59:56 -0500
    Let’s fund our schools and have some lovely parks. Why are we even considering giving away our land to some rich man.
  • Devarieste Curry
    signed 2018-12-14 16:59:00 -0500
    Devarieste Curry
  • Tim Chambers
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:57:45 -0500
  • Judith Bohler
    signed 2018-12-14 16:57:36 -0500
  • Josh Silver
    signed 2018-12-14 16:57:33 -0500
  • Annie Scott
    signed 2018-12-14 16:55:42 -0500
  • Matt Gallagher
    signed 2018-12-14 16:55:25 -0500
  • Jerry Crute
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:55:01 -0500
  • Frances L Hoffmann
    signed 2018-12-14 16:53:57 -0500
  • John Healey
    signed 2018-12-14 16:52:13 -0500
    The space by the Kingman Island Park could be better used for recreation, housing, and transit-oriented development, given its proximity to a metro station. We do not need yet another stadium in the District!
  • Gregory Klass
    signed 2018-12-14 16:51:36 -0500
  • James Stone
    signed 2018-12-14 16:49:43 -0500
  • J. Miller
    signed 2018-12-14 16:45:37 -0500
  • Mara Gassmann
    signed 2018-12-14 16:44:58 -0500
  • Liz Campbell
    signed 2018-12-14 16:44:33 -0500
  • Arthur Smith
    signed 2018-12-14 16:44:13 -0500
    Arthur Smith
  • Michael Newman
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:41:17 -0500
  • Alyssa McCrea
    signed 2018-12-14 16:36:04 -0500
  • Cristina Amoruso
    signed 2018-12-14 16:35:38 -0500
  • Kristine Enderle
    @kristinEEnderle tweeted link to this page. 2018-12-14 16:33:33 -0500
    Sign the petition: Hail No to a New Stadium at RFK - Add Your Name Below https://www.hailnorfk.com/?recruiter_id=1217997
  • Sam Reilly
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:31:19 -0500
  • Michael McDonald
    signed 2018-12-14 16:30:42 -0500
  • Matthew Shields
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:29:30 -0500
  • Bridget Sheaff
    signed via 2018-12-14 16:29:08 -0500
  • Nicole Gilmore
    signed 2018-12-14 16:27:58 -0500