The regular season has not yet commenced, yet the Commanders are coming into the year with one victory under their belt. Though it’s faced severe challenges ever since it’s conception, the team’s RFK Stadium Bill passed 9-3 in a vote by the D.C. Council, as first reported by ESPN’s John Keim. In a statement released by the team, owner Josh Harris called it a “historic moment,” saying the Commanders are now “closer than ever” to returning to their “spiritual home.” 
While the vote is surely a victory in progressing towards the ultimate goal of building a new stadium on the site of the old RFK Stadium, located in D.C., there are still a few steps to go. As outlined by Mike Florio of NBC Sports, today’s vote advanced the bill to a second reading. A second vote will take place on September 17, whereupon, if it passes, it will move on to Mayor Mureil Bowser, a strong proponent for the bill who regarded today’s vote as a victory.
Per a diligent retelling by Keim, this project dates back to the day Dan Snyder announced his intention to sell the franchise, considering some believe this deal could never have gotten this far under Snyder. Within a week of the sale, the new owner, Harris, was meeting with Bowser and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson to start building relationships.
Following a successful congressional vote allowing Congress to lease the federal land where the stadium would be built to the city for 99 years, a vote that needed unanimous consent from all 100 senators, the secret was out as Bowser, Harris, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hosted a news conference announcing the deal between the city and the Commanders. This deal consisted of a $2.7BB investment from the team towards the stadium and a $1BB investment “through various means” from the city for the development of housing, a sports complex, and retail shops on the 174-acre property.
Despite a momentary threat from the commander-in-chief, the D.C. Council remained focused on pushing the deal forwards. With some financial alterations to the terms of the deal and some further discussion on the matter, Harris and the team were able to convince enough of the Council that they weren’t playing games and shopping around — it was D.C. or bust when finding a new home for the franchise.
A few more amendments in the days leading up to today’s vote did enough to secure the votes that were needed. As mentioned above, a second vote still stands as a future challenge, but Keim discloses that a source close to the situation has never “seen a second vote go a different way from the first.” Seeing the steps to come as a mere formality, the Council has told the team it can proceed with its planning for the stadium. A bumpy road home to be certain, with a few remaining bumps to endure, but a return to RFK Stadium is looking more and more likely for the franchise.
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