Events DC Sets its Sights on the Future for the Iconic RFK Stadium and the Surrounding 190-Acre Campus

19/10/2017 09:38

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With the departure of its longtime tenant, D.C. United, Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, remains committed to activating RFK Stadium and revitalizing the surrounding 190-acre RFK Stadium-Armory Campus. Bitter sweet but excited, D.C. United will no longer be RFK Stadium's main tenant, however programming will continue on the Campus.

The Campus was one of the District's original sports and entertainment corridors in the city and it is Events DC's goal to restore it to its original vibrancy with a diverse lineup of upcoming events and the simultaneous short- and long-term RFK redevelopment plans for the Campus. Annual returning spring events on the Campus will include, the District's iconic Shamrock Festival, the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon Expo & Finish Festival, as well as the National Cannabis Festival. Events DC continues to have meaningful conversations with a variety of event and concert promoters about utilizing the Stadium and the Campus and looks forward to making future 2018 event announcements.

"We look forward to announcing what is on the horizon for the RFK Campus in 2018 and beyond after D.C. United's departure. Their new home in Buzzard Point, will only aid to Washington, DC's vibrancy as a destination and help our city to further redevelop the southwest corner of the District," said Gregory A. O'Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. "As part of the Campus' redevelopment efforts, Events DC will focus on activating the site and transforming it with a new destination for sports, recreational and waterfront activities for generations to come."

Simultaneously, while continuing Campus programming, Events DC is also focused on the RFK redevelopment project and advancing its short-term program elements, announced last spring. Those elements will be designed and built out over the next two to five years as part of the larger redevelopment efforts.

The short-term elements include:

Three multi-purpose recreation and community playing fields; available to the public and useable in the evening;
A Market Hall; conveniently located next to Kingman Park, which offers concessions, prepared food and groceries for both neighborhood residents and visitors to the site;
Sports and Recreation Complex, housing a variety of sport programs for families, youth and amateur sports; to be developed with a partner and identified as a destination, in addition to a neighborhood amenity;
Three pedestrian bridges that will connect the main site to Kingman and Heritage Islands, each of which fits with ease and comfort into the surrounding site for better pedestrian flow and access; and
A memorial to Robert F. Kennedy, to be built as a replacement to the Stadium, as it is planned to be demolished. This living monument will serve as a place to engage visitors and educate the next generation.

Following D.C. United's last game on October 22, the playing surface at the Stadium will close for the winter. Events DC and D.C. United will remain in constant communication to ensure the team needs are met as they finalize construction and transition into their new facility.

Events DC will be announcing the next phases of the redevelopment in the coming months, including a groundbreaking on the multi-purpose fields. In addition, the "Asphalt to Action" campaign continues to make waves in an effort to increase awareness and support for the long-term redevelopment efforts at the RFK Campus among the Washington, DC community. The campaign includes print and digital advertising, event activations, online petitions and social promotions. The official website of the campaign is RFKCampus.com and the hashtag is #RFKREADY.

About Events DC
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, deliver premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that generates over $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the Stadium-Armory campus, which includes Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and surrounding Festival Grounds, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and Maloof Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Events DC also built and now serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. The most recent addition is Gateway DC, an innovative and versatile space featuring a covered and open-air pavilion in the center of a 1-acre park, conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com or www.rfkcampus.com and find us on Facebook (Events DC), Twitter (@TheEventsDC) and Instagram (@EventsDC).

Contact:
Ashley Forrester
1-202-439-7109
aforrester@eventsdc.com

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