Ahead of Key Council hearing, Grassroots Campaign - RFK NOW! - Launches to Bring Commanders Home, Redevelop RFK Campus
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RFK Now! is for DC residents and businesses who want the D.C. Council to approve the plan to redevelop the RFK campus now.
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, a new grassroots campaign, “RFK Now!”, launched across the District to demand bold action from the DC Council and deliver on a once-in-a-generation opportunity: bringing the Washington Commanders back to DC while jumpstarting housing, jobs, and community revitalization on the long-neglected RFK Stadium site.
Led by DC residents, small-business owners and community advocates, RFK Now! is mobilizing supporters in every ward to urge the Council to approve the redevelopment deal. The grassroots campaign launched the day after DC’s exclusive negotiation period with the team expired yesterday, giving the team the legal ability to explore moving the entire project to Virginia or Maryland.
The RFK Now! campaign, a project of OpportunityDC, will be led by Tiffany Tate, Susan Shorters, and Socrates Cala, three DC advocates with deep roots in civic engagement, economic development and community-focused businesses. Together, they are supporting a grassroots movement to ensure this project returns the Washington Commanders to DC and delivers real benefits to the city.
“The RFK redevelopment project is an economic opportunity that we can’t afford to pass on,” said Tiffany Tate, Campaign Co-Chair. “With $2.7 billion in private investments on the table, all we need is for the Council to say yes.” Tate is also a board member of the DC Chamber of Commerce, and founder of Tate.Alpha Total Economics and the networking app Highflier.
The campaign’s message to the Council is simple: say yes or risk losing it all. Delaying a vote could mean losing the site back to federal control, missing a massive economic opportunity, and leaving one of the city’s most promising areas vacant for another generation.
The plan calls for the Commanders to cover the full cost of the stadium—the largest private investment in DC history—along with substantial new infrastructure and public space funded by the District. It will transform acres of unused asphalt and outdated infrastructure into a vibrant, walkable community featuring:
A state-of-the-art stadium and a year-round cultural destination for concerts, festivals, sporting events and community events.
Nearly 6,500 new homes, including at least 30% affordable housing units.
2,000 permanent jobs and 14,000 jobs throughout construction.
Over $5.1 billion in new tax revenue over the next 30 years.
“We’ve waited 30 years for the Commanders to return, and now, we have a real opportunity to do this while transforming our community for the better,” said Susan Shorters, Campaign Co-Chair, DC native, and President and CEO of High Impact Partners, a firm that supports national workforce initiatives across sectors. Shorters has led major federal projects, corporate and community development initiatives, youth and college programs, and leadership development trainings that build the workforce pipeline. She adds: “This deal will deliver jobs, housing, and long-needed community investment that will bolster pride in our city and further cement DC as a go-to destination.”
The campaign has already knocked on more than 5,000 doors to build community support for the redevelopment project. It will also continue to distribute yard signs and mobilize communities in support of the campaign in the coming days and weeks ahead of the Council hearings on the bill.
“As a longtime small business owner, I’ve seen firsthand how the right investment in our city can benefit the entire community,” said Socrates Cala, Campaign Co-Chair and owner and executive manager of the CALPRO Group, a consulting and event management firm that specializes in large-scale conferences. “This redevelopment campaign gets it right by prioritizing jobs and housing, and making sure that the community’s priorities are being reflected in every step of the process.”
District residents and supporters are encouraged to get involved and make their voices heard by:
Putting up a yard sign
Attending the upcoming DC Council hearing on July 29 and testifying in support of the deal
Emailing or calling their Councilmember to vote YES and bring the Commanders home
Engaging on social media by following @rfk_now on Instagram and tag @rfk_now in posts sharing their story about what this project means to them
Joining a canvass to talk with neighbors across all eight wards
Find more information and ways to get involved at rfknow.team.
ABOUT RFK NOW!
RFK Now! is an initiative of Opportunity DC, a 501c(4) organization dedicated to increasing economic opportunity through commonsense public policy in the District of Columbia. To learn more, visit https://rfknow.team/ and follow us on Instagram at @rfk_now.