TWO big items of news around FedEx Field this week, the first of which came Tuesday when Commanders ownership announced they’ll be putting $75 million into improvements into the facility.
Team president Jason Wright admitted they may not be ‘sexy,’ but they certainly beat the alternative.
“We’re excited. This ownership group has been ready to invest since the beginning in the fans, and simply do what’s right. A lot of this will go into very unsexy things like HVAC and plumbing that need to happen, and there’s not a reason to do that other than it’s the right thing to do for the fans,” Wright told Grant & Danny Wednesday. “Some cool stuff will come from it too, like the VIP Tunnel Club down near the field, or taking a part of our stadium that used to be our offices and turning that into the 1932 Club. They’re investing, and it’s an exciting moment to have ownership that will put money in like that.”
The completion of sound system upgrades that started last year, especially for the upper decks, will also be part of it, as will other cosmetics…right down to the seats!
“One of the things that was not only an indicator of a challenging fan experience, but also not what we want to show as an organization, was the torn seat covers and broken seats. We are going to fix those,” Wright said. “If you’re a season ticket holder that had one of those, we’re probably aware, but it doesn’t hurt to reach out to your rep. These are the little things that show you care, and we want to do them now so when we go into a future state-of-the-art venue, fans know we’ll do right by them then too.”
And, there will be further improvements mad for you to get in and out of the stadium, too.
“We took a big step last year reducing the time in and out by 30 minutes, and shout out to PG County, Gov. Moore, and the Federal Government for helping getting logistics to a place where we could do that, but there’s more we can do,” Wright said. “Two things that will help: we’re simplifying the parking lot structure and approach, and using different security technology as you come in, so that should be much more of a quick, pass-through process. That’s the kind of stuff were doing. It’s unsexy and in the weeds, but it’s the kind of thing you don’t want to notice when you just want to have the experience.”
Grant noted how his realtor urged him to purchase new appliances when he was selling his townhome, because even though you may not use them for long, it’s more attractive for those looking – and, in a similar vein, the current stadium won’t last forever, but it is at least five more years, so why let it dilapidate just because it’s not long-term?
“If every day you were hosting your most cherished friends and family, you’d invest in it for the future, because these are people you deeply care about, and it’s the right thing to do,” Wright said. “I always avoid talking timeline (on a new stadium) because it’s not helpful, but it’s gonna take a little longer than 2027 (when the current lease expires), but we have a home in PG County where we own the land, and our lease is just a commitment to stay there through ‘27. It’s actually beneficial to us to make sure we’re finding the right next home, so we can be the right partner for one or more jurisdictions, and allowing that process to take its time while moving fast when necessary is what we want to do.”