|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
FedEx
FieldWashington, DC Home to one of the NFL's most popular teams, FedEx Field is the largest stadium in the league. After more than two decades of playing at RFK Stadium, owner Jack Kent Cooke envisioned a new stadium for the Redskins in 1987. Cooke was very dissatisfied with RFK Stadium and proposed building a 78,000 seat domed stadium adjacent to RFK Stadium. Cooke agreed to build the stadium contingent on the terms that the city would assume responsibility for the infrastructure and parking. The National Park Service opposed the plan because it would fill in a portion of the Anacostia River for stadium parking. Until 1992, negotiations between the Redskins and the District continued as Cooke maintained that he wanted a stadium built in DC. Even so, the team had discussions with Fairfax and Loudon Counties in Virginia, just incase discussions with DC failed. Unfortunately for the Redskins this occurred and in April 1992, negotiations between the Redskins and the District ended. It appeared that the Redskins would move to Alexandria, VA after Cooke signed an agreement with the State of Virginia in July 1992 to pay for a $250 million stadium. However, by October this plan was also abandoned and the Redskins began negotiations with the District again. After a long wait, in February 1993 the Redskins finally signed a formal agreement to build a stadium in Washington, DC. This plan unraveled by October 1993 as environmental studies and government obstacles delayed the stadium project. After this, Cooke was so frustrated that he no longer wanted to build a stadium in DC. Two months later he bought land in Anne Arundel County, MD to construct a stadium. In October 1994 Anne Arundel County rejected Cooke's proposal for a stadium leading him to purchase land in Landover, MD where he reached an agreement to build a 78,000 seat stadium in December 1995. Construction began immediately on the stadium. After years of trying to get a stadium built for his team, Cooke sadly never saw his stadium completed. He died several months before the stadium was completed. Initially, the stadium was named, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. The Washington Redskins
played their first game at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium on September
14, 1997. With 80,116 seats, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium was the
largest stadium in the NFL. Three tiers of red and yellow seats
circle the entire playing field. Two video-boards are located
beyond both endzones. In 1999, Daniel Snyder bought the Redskins
and he decided to sell the naming rights to Federal Express. Jack
Kent Cooke Stadium was renamed
FedEx
Field. Since he bought the team in 1999, Snyder has spent $100
million improving the stadium. Before the 2000 season, nearly
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright © 2001
-
Stadiums of Pro Football
is not associated with the National Football League or any team mentioned.
Contact Us with any problems or
errors on this page. This page may not be reproduced without permission from Stadiums of Pro Football.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||