While D.C. council members have various concerns or changes they want to see in the RFK stadium proposal in order for it to garner their support, one thing is clear: A solid majority wants the package to include a project labor agreement (PLA) that covers the stadium, as well as nearby hotel and restaurant districts.
In an article published this morning, The Washington Post outlined where each D.C. council member currently stands on the proposed Commanders RFK stadium deal. As The Post reported: “All but one councilmember have either committed to supporting the stadium development with public investment or are contemplating specific changes to the terms that would get them to a yes vote.”
The Post tallied current councilmember support for the proposed package as follows:
- Four “Yes, and…”
- Three “Undecided”
- Four “No, unless…”
- One “No
Of those 12 council members, The Post indicated that seven want the package to include a PLA that covers the stadium, hotels and restaurants if it is going to get their “yes” vote.
Greg Akerman, president of the Baltimore-D.C. Building Trades Council, testified before the council earlier this month that the building trades support the PLA covering the Stadium District, which is included in the term sheet between the city and the team.
“However,” he added, “it is the position of the building trades that we must have a commitment from the Commanders to building out the Plaza and Riverfront Districts with PLAs.”
McDuffie said “he wants firmer guarantees that the project will bring well-paying union jobs to D.C. residents, along with skilled apprenticeships and contracts for local women-owned and minority-owned businesses.”
– The Washington Post, reporting on the views of At-Large D.C. Council Member Kenyan McDuffie
McDuffie said “he wants firmer guarantees that the project will bring well-paying union jobs to D.C. residents, along with skilled apprenticeships and contracts for local women-owned and minority-owned businesses.”
– The Washington Post, reporting on the views of At-Large D.C. Council Member Kenyan McDuffie
On June 4, seven members of the D.C. Council sent a letter to the Commanders, expressing their expectation that PLAs and Labor Peace Agreements are necessary — among other conditions — for them to back using more than $1 billion in taxpayer money to support the proposed RFK development deal.
At-large Council Member Kenyan McDuffie did not sign onto that letter, but today’s Post article listed him as a PLA supporter and reported that McDuffie said “he wants firmer guarantees that the project will bring well-paying union jobs to D.C. residents, along with skilled apprenticeships and contracts for local women-owned and minority-owned businesses.”
The seven letter signatories, plus McDuffie, would bring the number of RFK Stadium PLA supporters on the council to at least eight out of 12 members (the Ward 8 council seat is currently vacant).
Read the full Post article: “Where each D.C. Council member stands on the Commanders RFK stadium deal”