U.S. President Donald Trump wants the new $3.7 billion stadium being planned for the Washington Commanders football team to bear his name, according to a report by ESPN.
The article cites a senior White House source who confirmed that informal discussions on the matter have taken place with one of the team’s shareholders.
“It would be a very beautiful name for a stadium,” said White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, “since the president is the one enabling the construction of the project.” Leavitt declined to answer additional questions on the topic, but the White House source added: “It’s what the president wants—and it’s probably what will happen.”
The report was published ahead of the president’s expected attendance at Sunday’s game between the Commanders and the Detroit Lions.
A spokesperson for the Commanders declined to comment on the report. However, a team insider said diplomatically: “Discussions on the matter are expected to take place with the president, though none have been held officially so far.”
Regardless, the article notes that naming rights for the stadium are expected to be sold to a corporate sponsor. If the stadium were to be named after a person, such a decision would require approval from the District of Columbia and the National Park Service, which manages the federal land on which the new stadium is to be built.