Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the US capitol Washington D.C. The stadium has been the home to an National Football League team, two Major League baseball teams, eight professional soccer teams, a college football team, a bowl game and several other sports teams in the professional sporting arena.
The stadium also has hosted dozens of soccer matches as well as men’s and women’s World Cup matches. It is the first stadium which was actually built as a multi-sport facility for football and baseball. The RFK also became the first stadium to employ the “cookie-cutter” design.
The stadium has a capacity of 45,596 and was built at a cost of $192 Million. The stadium is currently owned and operated by Events DC.
History
The lease for the land on which the stadium has been built was signed by the DC Armory Board and the Department of the Interior on December 12, 1958. The stadium has been designed by George Dahl, Ewin Engineering Associates, and Osborn Engineering. The construction of the $24 million stadia began in 1960.
The stadium was opened to the public as the District of Columbia Stadium on October 1, 1961, for hosting its first official event.
After the opening of the RFK Stadium, it has hosted the Washington Redskins, the Washington Senators, and the GWU Colonial football team.
The stadium was renamed in January 1969 in the honor of former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated in 1968.
The year 1996 brought major changes to the stadium, following the success of hosting matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
On July 25, 2013, the District of Columbia and D.C. United announced a tentative deal to build a $300 million stadium at Buzzard Point.
Major Matches
The stadium has hosted a number of Baseballs, NFL, and soccer games. The stadium still remains one of the sought-after stadiums for professional football and soccer games.
It was on July 10, 1962, that the stadium hosted its first Major League Baseball All-Star Game. President John F. Kennedy was present to throw out the first pitch.
In July 1969, the stadium hosted its last Major League Baseball All-Star Game, before a groundbreaking 45,259 fans.
The facility also has the distinction of being the only stadium in the US that has hosted the North American Soccer League's Soccer Bowl, the FIFA World Cup in 1994, and a group stage match during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the MLS Cup and the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
