White Stadium renovation to move forward after judge sides with city of Boston
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Updated: 12:26 PM EDT Apr 3, 2025
CONFERENCE A SHORT TIME AGO. MATT. WELL, ANTOINE AND JESSICA, THE MAYOR SAYS THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION SURROUNDING WIGHT STADIUM, AND SHE’S JUST GRATEFUL THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM HAS NOW TWICE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THIS PROJECT TO GO FORWARD. NOW WIGHT STADIUM IS BEING DEMOLISHED AND REBUILT TO BE THE HOME OF BOSTON’S NEW PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM, BOSTON LEGACY FC. BUT THE STADIUM WILL ALSO BE USED BY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY. MAYOR WU SAYS THIS WILL BE THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY WHERE A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM IS PAYING RENT TO PLAY ALONGSIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SPORTS TEAMS. NOW, DESPITE THAT, 20 PARK NEIGHBORS ALONG WITH THE EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY, TOOK THE CITY TO COURT, ARGUING THAT THE MAYOR’S ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO PRIVATIZE A PUBLIC PARK. IN THIS FIGHT OVER WIGHT STADIUM IS NOW FRONT AND CENTER IN THE UPCOMING MAYORAL RACE. SO I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR INVESTING NEARLY $100 MILLION INTO THIS COMMUNITY, INTO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, INTO OUR STUDENTS, AND INTO THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE DESERVE THIS, AND WE DESERVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GENERATION AFTER GENERATION HAS PASSED US BY. NOW, MELROSE MAIN CHALLENGER IN THE MAYORAL RACE, JOSH KRAFT, RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, WIGHT STADIUM COULD BE REFURBISHED FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF KIDS FOR ONE THIRD OF THAT PRICE. TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE SCARCE GOING FORWARD AND THERE ARE SO MANY PRESSING NEEDS HOUSING, MONEY FOR SCHOOLS, TAX RELIEF FOR SENIORS, TO NAME A FEW. THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED OVER THIS PROJECT. NOW, WHILE THERE WERE SEVERAL CALLS FOR UNITY AT TODAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE, THE GROUP THAT DID SUE THE CITY SAYS THEY ARE ASSESSING THEIR NEXT LEGAL OPTION
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White Stadium renovation to move forward after judge sides with city of Boston
A Suffolk County superior court judge ruled Wednesday that the city of Boston can move forward with the renovation of White Stadium, according to court documents. The city and Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC, a for-profit company, are hoping to renovate White Stadium and make it the home for a National Women's Soccer League team and provide a state-of-the-art facility for Boston Public School students to use as their home turf.However, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and 20 park neighbors who filed the lawsuit accused Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's administration of trying to privatize a public park.In court documents, Judge Matthew J. Nestor ruled that the project does not violate Article 97, which "establishes a right to a clean environment including its natural, scenic, historical, and aesthetic qualities." Taxpayers would front half the cost of the stadium, which is about $100 million.Wu celebrated the judge's decision on Thursday. "I will not apologize for investing nearly $100 million in this community, into black and brown communities, into our students and into Boston Public Schools," she said. "Wwe deserve this and we deserve to have the opportunity that generation after generation has passed us by."Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft also released a statement in response to the decision: “Spending over $100 million in taxpayer dollars on a project that will primarily benefit a private entity is a bad idea, regardless of the legal outcome today. White Stadium could be refurbished for the exclusive use of BPS kids for one-third of that price," Kraft said. "Taxpayer dollars are going to be scarce going forward, and there are so many pressing needs - housing, money for schools, tax relief for seniors, to name a few - that should be prioritized over this project. It made little sense when the Mayor first pushed for this, and it makes little sense today.”
BOSTON —
A Suffolk County superior court judge ruled Wednesday that the city of Boston can move forward with the renovation of White Stadium, according to court documents.
The city and Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC, a for-profit company, are hoping to renovate White Stadium and make it the home for a National Women's Soccer League team and provide a state-of-the-art facility for Boston Public School students to use as their home turf.
However, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and 20 park neighbors who filed the lawsuit accused Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's administration of trying to privatize a public park.
In court documents, Judge Matthew J. Nestor ruled that the project does not violate Article 97, which "establishes a right to a clean environment including its natural, scenic, historical, and aesthetic qualities."
Taxpayers would front half the cost of the stadium, which is about $100 million.
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Wu celebrated the judge's decision on Thursday.
"I will not apologize for investing nearly $100 million in this community, into black and brown communities, into our students and into Boston Public Schools," she said. "Wwe deserve this and we deserve to have the opportunity that generation after generation has passed us by."
Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft also released a statement in response to the decision:
“Spending over $100 million in taxpayer dollars on a project that will primarily benefit a private entity is a bad idea, regardless of the legal outcome today. White Stadium could be refurbished for the exclusive use of BPS kids for one-third of that price," Kraft said. "Taxpayer dollars are going to be scarce going forward, and there are so many pressing needs - housing, money for schools, tax relief for seniors, to name a few - that should be prioritized over this project. It made little sense when the Mayor first pushed for this, and it makes little sense today.”
