Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland begin to compete for leverage; Commander's Stadium in

The Washington Commanders play in one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL. FedEx Field opened in 1997, relatively recent in human terms, but a generation ago by today's multi-billion dollar stadium standards. Located in Landover, Massachusetts, FedEx Field does not have the elite-level amenities common in stadiums today, and the stadium's infrastructure problems range fromleaking pipestocollapsing fences.

Former owner Dan Snyder sought to build a new stadium, but the toxicitythat has surrounded his entire tenure, from sexual assault lawsuits to allegations of financial irregularities to controversy over the team's namehas short-circuited all attempts to break ground elsewhere.

Now, with Snyder's departure, new hope is blooming all over the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) that a new stadium, or a significantly renovated FedEx Field, might be launched. A more modern facility could bring a Super Bowl to the D.C. area and would be an important step toward restoring the luster that the franchise lost and abandoned during the quarter-century Snyder era.

All three governments in the commander-in-chief's footsteps are eager to attract NFL stadiums, to one degree or another. While the budget process and congressional approvals proceed slowly, it is clear that now that Snyder is gone, action has begun. Below is where the stadium issue stands in the three boroughs.

District of Columbia

RFK Stadium, home of the Command Center before it became FedEx Field and still on federal land in the District, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bauser has made redevelopment of the surrounding area, including the aging stadium, a priority. The project could include bringing the command center back to the area.

But first, however, Congress must authorize the redevelopment. Earlier this week, the Washington Post reported that two committees, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands and the House Oversight Committee, are scheduled to evaluate legislation to address the RFK parcel.

If approved, the RFK Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act would extend the district's lease on the site for up to 99 years and also open development opportunities on the site. The current lease, which is scheduled to expire in 2038, only allows sports and recreation-related activities on the site. [The D.C. Council is divided on whether to build a stadium and, if so, whether to use public funds to develop the stadium.

Maryland

Maryland has decided how to upgrade or replace FedEx Field if the team decides to remain in Landover, regardless of the stadium decision of the commanders, or if the team moves to another venue, faced with the challenge of how to repurpose or demolish the stadium. 0]

"The last thing we want is for the towering structure in our backyard to become vacant and decrepit," Jazz Lewis , a state legislator representing the area surrounding FedEx Field, told Yahoo Sports in April. Jazz Lewis , who represents the area surrounding FedEx Field, told Yahoo Sports in April, "We've got a lot of work to do. That's why we made the investment plan, to help continue to develop that area, whether the team stays or leaves."

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has repeatedly expressed his intention to keep the team in the state. Maryland officials have launched the "Blue Line Corridor" project, named after the subway line that runs around the stadium, to promote mixed-use development around FedEx Field. The project does not yet have funds to build a new stadium, but it does have funds to demolish the stadium if the commanders were to move elsewhere.

Virginia

Virginia has hosted the command's preseason activities for many years, and during Snyder's tenure, three potential sites in Virginia were considered for the new stadium. Two of those sites were rejected because of inaccessibility, leaving only one site in Loudoun County near Dulles Airport.

Recently, the Virginia General Assembly passed and Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a budget that included an amendment calling for the expenditure of $250,000 to "evaluate potential economic incentives for attracting sports teams to the state." Specific economic incentives will have to wait until Congress reconvenes early next year.

In an April letter to Youngkin provided to Yahoo Sports, Virginia elected officials David Reed and Luke Tolian stated that any attempt to build a new stadium in Virginia must "protect Virginia taxpayers, not leave the state with a derelict stadium and establish benchmarks to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget, that high-wage Virginia workers are engaged, and that transportation and environmental issues are addressed early in the project's life."

The letter also noted the need to include provisions aimed at "ensuring that the project is completed on time and within budget, and that transportation and environmental issues are addressed early in the project's life.

The new owners remain tight-lipped about the next stadium steps for the franchise. Owner Josh Harris recently told the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., "We are obviously blessed to be welcomed by all three jurisdictions."

"The sooner we get started, the sooner the team can have a new home, because they appreciate it.

While the wheels of government move slowly, it is clear that the battle over a possible new stadium is likely to be more difficult and far more protracted than anything the commanders will face on the field.