Efforts to build a new Commanders stadium in Washington D.C. have quickly become a political tug-of-war. The latest chapter in the saga comes in the form of a provision tucked into the recent government funding bill, which gives D.C. the green light to negotiate a deal for a new venue on the site of the iconic RFK Stadium.
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But as with all things in Washington, the proposal hasn't come without its fair share of controversy, as relayed by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Elon Musk, ever the provocateur, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to voice his opposition, declaring, "This should not be funded by your tax dollars!"
Of course, Musk's statement is only partially accurate. As multiple reporters have pointed out, the current bill does not allocate any direct federal funding for the stadium. However, let's not be fooled into thinking this is the final word on public money for the project.
At some point, new owner Josh Harris will likely seek public investment for the stadium, no matter where it is built. It's the same playbook used by countless NFL franchise owners: billionaires asking for taxpayer dollars to help fund massive, multimillion-dollar projects.
And why wouldn't they? Public funds have long been the lifeblood of sports stadium deals, even when the teams in question are worth billions.
So, while Musk's rant might be premature, the underlying issue remains: The Commanders, like many other teams before them, will eventually demand a public contribution.
Whether the taxpayers will be willing to foot the bill is the real question. For now, the political game is afoot, and the stadium debate is far from over.
