NFL Owner And GOP Reps Work To Slip Stadium Deal Into Spending Bill Before Democrats Take Over House

The Washington Post reports:

Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is getting help from District officials, congressional Republicans and the Trump administration as he tries to clear a major roadblock to building a new, 60,000-seat stadium on the site of RFK Stadium.

Nearly three years after the Redskins unveiled futuristic designs for their next football stadium, the team has been working in concert with local and federal officials to insert a stadium provision into the massive spending bill that the Republican-controlled Congress is rushing to complete this month, according to four people familiar with the effort but not authorized to discuss it publicly.

By tucking it into a complex spending bill, the team and local officials could sidestep some public debate over whether other uses for the coveted parcel of land would benefit a broader swath of D.C. residents.

The Hill reports:

Snyder has been working for years to secure the land currently owned by the city. Under the provision, the land would still be owned by D.C., but it would help clear the way for Snyder’s new stadium.

According to unnamed officials who spoke with the Post, the language attempting to be included in the spending bill would extend the existing lease for the land it is on and make the site open to commercial development.

The current lease states that it can only be used for “stadium purposes” or “recreational facilities, open space, or public outdoor recreation opportunities.” According to sources who spoke with the Post, Snyder is worried that when Democrats take control of the House next year his chances of getting a stadium on public land could diminish.