The Washington Commanders football team will soon return to the US capital. The NFL franchise announced that a new $3.7 billion arena will be built on the site of the now-defunct Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The opening is planned for 2030, and the new stadium will have a capacity of around 65,000.

The Commanders played their home games at RFK Stadium, which is currently being demolished, from 1961 to 1996. Since then, the team has played in Landover, Maryland, 8 km northeast of Washington.

According to Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, the new arena will be the centerpiece of a 180-hectare development project in the US capital, which will also include apartments, parks, hotels, restaurants, and shops. The Commanders are investing around $2.7 billion in the project, with the Washington, D.C., government contributing an additional $500 million.

Josh Harris, managing partner of the Commanders, spoke of a “pivotal moment” for the city and the franchise. “RFK was once a place our fans loved and opponents feared — we are determined to make it that place again,” he said.

Washington won three Super Bowls between 1982 and 1991 while RFK Stadium was its home.