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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 struggling 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 3,000 seats were added, including a new owners club suite level and escalators to the upper deck. FedEx Field was expanded again before the 2004 season. The seating capacity was increased from 86,000 to over 91,000. Ten rows of seats were added to the back of the lower bowl section that rings the north half of the stadium. The number of luxury suites also increased from 199 to 243. After the 2009 season, the video/scoreboards located in both endzones were replaced with new 100ft. long HD video/scoreboards. FedEx Field has many amenities including several restaurants that overlook the field and a Redskins Hall of Fame. Displayed on the upper level balcony, circling the seating bowl, is the Redskins Ring of Fame that contains 40 names of Redskins players and coaches. Located above the north endzone are championship flags that commemorate the Redskins playoff history.