BOSTON — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Unity Soccer Partners have reached a lease deal to use White Stadium as the home for Boston’s National Women’s Soccer League.
The renovation and ongoing lease arrangement will transform the facilities and opportunities for Boston Public School students and Franklin Park users that will be open to community members.
The new White Stadium complex promises to anchor youth sports in Boston with state-of-the-art facilities for multiple sports, as well as modern locker rooms, sports medicine, strength and conditioning for all students, and a much-desired community event space.
“Delivering excellent education for BPS students includes ensuring the fullest access to sports, arts, and enrichment of every kind across the city. White Stadium is a generational opportunity to anchor citywide youth sports, revitalize community programming, and bolster our beloved, historic Franklin Park–all while creating a home for the City of Champions’ newest professional team,” said Mayor Michelle Wu.
The lease is set for 10 years, with two 10-year extensions. Boston Unity will be required to pay the city $400,000 a year in rent, with annual increases of 3%.
The lease will be required to pay 10% of advertising revenue and 3% of concession revenue to the city.
That isn’t as exciting for some who live in the neighborhood who have actively spoken out against this plan from the beginning.
“For me it’s a coal in my Christmas stocking,” said Renee Stacy Welch, a resident of the greater Franklin Park area. “Yet again its another lack of transparency and the voice of the community was not apart of the lease signing and/or agreement.”
For city councilor Ed Flynn, it’s the cost of the project. Its projected to cost around $200 Million, and for him, that comes out of the taxpayers pockets. Even if the team is contracted to pay for some, but not all, of the major renovations.
“I’m glad the lease is public so that residents can view it,” said Flynn of the first documents we are seeing of the lease released after the city signed the paperwork. “City counselors can thoroughly meet on it and discuss it and I think that’s our next step as a city council is to meet with the mayor and talk about the lease and how it impacts BPS students our student-athletes, and the taxpayers.”
Demolition for the stadium can begin early in 2025, Wu said and work must be completed by Dec. 1, 2026.
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