Washington Commanders release renderings of new stadium seating bowl
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\nSept. 16 (UPI) — The Washington Commanders on Wednesday released the first renderings of the seating bowl in their new stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2030.
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HKS, chosen in November as lead stadium architect, and the Commanders previewedd the drawings, which show views from the stands and field level of the Washington, D.C.-based facility.
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"One of the special things that we're doing in D.C. is what we're calling a unified seating bowl," HKS partner and executive vice president Mark Williams told Commanders.com. "The entire seating bowl feels like one section, one unified group, from the first row all the way to the last row, instead of breaking up the bowl into different parts and different areas.
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"And at the same time, we have a very diverse number of products that we have spread out throughout that bowl."
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"Historically, what has happened was you had a continuous bowl, then as time went on, that bowl started to break apart and there were different zones, club seats, suites, end zone, you name it," Williams said. "And it was very defined on those different elements.
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"We've sort of come back and combined both of them. So, it's the power of that unified bowl while having diverse products and price points and things you can do with amenities — all that's attached to different areas within the bowl. We've done both of those. It's extremely unique."
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Williams said the stadium's transparent roof will allow sunlight to filter through and make fans feel like they are in an outdoor venue. The new stadium, which has yet to be named, will be the centerpiece of a 180-acre, mixed-use space.
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The Commanders and Washington, D.C., agreed last year to construct the facility on the site of RFK Stadium, where they played from 1961 to 1996.
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Local officials said the total investment for the project is nearly $4 billion. The Commanders pledged to invest at least $2.7 billion to build the roofed, 65,000 to 70,000-seat facility, which can be used year-round. They are under contract to play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. until 2027.
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The Commanders released renderings of the stadium's exterior Jan. 15. Those renderings showed views of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. The structure also featured steal beams, resembling RFK Stadium.
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HKS also designed the Minnesota Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium and Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium, among others.
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