Say goodbye to RFK.
The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, once the home of the Washington Redskins, Washington Nationals and DC United to name a few, will be demolished over the next two years.
The writing on the wall seemed apparent after DC United moved out of the stadium to their new home at Audi Field in 2018.
“By tearing down the underutilized, rusting stadium, we are sending another clear signal that it is time to revive the RFK Campus, which currently serves as the only national park dedicated to asphalt,” said John Falcicchio, the interim deputy mayor for planning and economic development. The written statement also brings up the possibility of “reimagining the RFK Campus as a vibrant neighborhood where we can build workforce and affordable housing, preserve green space, and add to our hospitality and entertainment options.” No definitive plans have been made in regards to what will actually happen though.
The stadium opened in 1961 and was intended to be the home of both the NFL Redskins and the MLB's Washington Senators. The first game played at the stadium was a football game between the Skins and New York Giants and then-President John F. Kennedy attended the game. The final Redskins game at RFK was in 1996 and the team moved to FedExField in Landover, MD.
When the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals in 2005, the team played three seasons at RFK while Nationals Park was being built. From 2008 to 2017, the stadium's main tenant was DC United.
Source: DCist.com
Photo: Getty Images