The Washington Commanders and global design firm HKS unveiled the first conceptual renderings of a proposed National Football League stadium for the team in Washington, D.C., that show it's a callback to its former home field.
The Commanders picked the Dallas-based architecture firm in November to help lead the reimagination of the RFK Stadium site for their return to the nation’s capital. The team that’s won three Super Bowls currently plays its home games in suburban Maryland.
The Commanders said Thursday that vertical construction on the stadium is expected to begin in spring 2027, and it is scheduled to be completed for the 2030 season.
The approximately 70,000-plus-seat venue will host more than 200 events every year, including sporting events, concerts and festivals, the Commanders said. It also will anchor a new mixed-use district.
The design drew "inspiration from the legacy of RFK Stadium," the former home field of the then-Washington Redskins from its opening in 1961 until the team left for Landover, Maryland, prior to the 1997 season. RFK is being razed to make way for the stadium.
"Every design decision is guided by the significance of place — shaped by its local, regional and national history and generations of memories rooted in RFK Stadium," said Mark Williams, HKS' global venues director, in a statement.
Plans call for the mixed-use project ultimately to contain 5,000 to 6,000 new homes, including 1,500 to 1,900 affordable units, additional youth sports facilities "and opportunities for hotel and retail development," according to the team.
HKS' next step will be to build out the overall concept and schematic design with the Commanders.
"In collaboration with the District of Columbia, HKS participated in a series of community engagement sessions to inform the evolving design through input from local leaders and residents, with additional meetings planned through January," the team said.