ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Commanders continue to focus on their past while moving forward with their new stadium.
They want to re-create the home-field advantage they enjoyed at RFK Stadium from 1961 to 1996 before they moved to their current home, Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
In the latest renderings of the new stadium, designed by global design firm HKS and scheduled to open in 2030 at the site where RFK once stood, the Commanders point to RFK with the intent of re-creating a "loud, intense and intimate atmosphere," according to a news release on Wednesday.
Of course, part of that home-field advantage was a result of the team's success. While playing at RFK, Washington made five trips to the Super Bowl with three victories. (It won Super Bowls during the 1982, 1987 and 1991 campaigns.) From 1971 to 1992, the organization posted 18 winning seasons.
While playing in Landover, Washington has posted eight winning seasons and been to the NFC Championship Game once.
As shown previously, the latest renderings include a cantilevered, translucent roof that is somewhat similar to the one at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Minnesota Vikings play. That stadium was also designed by HKS. And as with that stadium, there will be a glass facade, in this case offering a view of the U.S. Capitol.
But the focus inside has been on creating a louder environment. The seating bowl on both sides rises straight up; the goal is to have minimal overhangs that can prevent sound from being absorbed. Team officials have mentioned in the past how they liked this feature at the Kansas City Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium.
The stadium will also have a "Wall of Fans" -- similar to what the NBA's LA Clippers have done at Intuit Dome. It's a section behind one end zone that the organization said will include "affordable fan-friendly seating."
The stadium will be one continuous loop and will seat about 65,000 fans. It cost nearly $4 billion, with the Commanders contributing $2.7 billion and $1.1 billion coming from taxpayers.
After 29 years of playing in a stadium that lacked a home-field advantage, it's clear what the Commanders and HKS wanted in their future home. At RFK, one section included stands that would bounce when the crowd in that area got excited. The new stadium will have a section that will bounce as well.
Washington team president Mark Clouse said: "Every aspect of the design is intended to amplify the energy and intensity of the crowd."
