Last updated on December 23, 2024
On Monday, the city announced a 10-year lease agreement with Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP), resulting in the city and its tenant sharing the estimated $182-million-plus renovation of Franklin Park’s White Stadium.
The demolition and construction of the 75-year-old stadium is scheduled to start next month, in hopes that the BOS Nation FC soccer team can start playing in 2026, and become a new updated home field for Boston Public School (BPS) sports.
The lease is for a prorated $200,000 rent in the first season, with the team paying $400,000 in year two, with annual increases of at least 3 percent.
The lease also includes a stadium use agrement. The lease agreement includes at least 700 programmable hours annually for BPS, ensuring year-round opportunities for student-athletes.
The new stadium will have:
- Regulation-size, eight-lane track and facilities for track and field for BPS to host state track meets, including new field events such as shot put and pole vault for the first time
- Natural grass field for BPS soccer, end of season football, and other BPS sports teams
- BPS student athlete locker rooms
- BPS strength and conditioning spaces
- BPS sports medicine facilities
- BPS Athletics administrative offices and space for coaching staff
- BPS student lounge spaces for studying
District 6 City Councilor Ben Weber said he supports the project, but like many people, has concerns about how the city’s estimated cost went from $50 million to $90 million and whether the proposal still makes fiscal sense for the city. But he also pointed out that construction costs have risen greatly in years.
“I have to say, however, that I have supported the White Stadium proposal because it will renovate a stadium that has been neglected for decades and will provide BPS students with a facility that they, and the public, can use at least 6 days a week during the NWSL season – 7 days a week once the season is over,” said Weber in an email to constituents. “While many of you expressed concern that renovating the stadium would reduce BPS access, all of the information I have seen suggests that the opposite is true as the number of hours the stadium will be usable by BPS would increase nearly tenfold.”
The Franklin Park Coalition (FPC) was excited about the lease’s announcement, as it views the redevelopment of the stadium to be a great public community asset. FPC said the project incorporated comprehensive feedback from more than 60 public meetings and small group community discussions with neighborhood residents, BPS athletes and coaches, and more than 900 public comment letters.
The project also received approvals from the Boston Civic Design Commission, Zoning Commission, Parks Commission, Landmarks Commission, BPDA Board, and the Boston School Committee.
The Franklin Park Coalition said many of its recommendations are incorporated directly into the binding lease and usage agreements. Those recommendations address concerns about public access, razing and planting of trees, litter, and community use of the facility. Those recommendations include:
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Expanded community access (15 hours daily) to the stadium with publicly accessible restrooms
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BUSP-funded year-round maintenance and security staff, including post-game litter clean up of the park and surrounding areas
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Creation of a Franklin Park Tree Bank to fund 500+ new park tree plantings throughout the park
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A share of ticket and concession sales dedicated exclusively to investment in the park and implementation of the Franklin Park Action Plan, including $1 of every ticket sold
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BUSP $500,000 annual donation to a community fund for local organizations and initiatives
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Top scheduling priority for major community events, like Juneteenth, ahead of BUSP or BPS
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Establishment of the White Stadium Neighborhood Advisory Council
“FPC is pleased with the project’s progress, but our advocacy is not done. We will continue to push for comprehensive traffic management for all large events (including BPS) to prevent increased motor traffic in and around the park and improve public transportation access to the park. We will press BUSP to meet their 50% commitment to minority business hiring and for BPS to exceed their targets,” wrote the FPC in an email.
The lease also codifies scheduling priority and parameters including:
- Public access to the stadium and track for informal community use 6 am-9 pm, or 15 hours per day including weekends (when not reserved for an event), instead of the current access from 8 am-4 pm on weekdays only
- The city and BPS will have top scheduling priority for 12 major events per year, followed by BPS and NWSL games having co-priority in scheduling, then other city or city-permitted community events, then NWSL team practices, then other BUSP events as permitted by the city
- NWSL usage limited to no more than 20 games per year (including playoff games) and one team practice in the week ahead of each scheduled game
- To minimize late-night noise and activity, NWSL games must start by no later than 8:30 pm; affiliated programming may only start two hours prior to the game and must conclude by one hour after the game ends or 11:30 pm, whichever is earlier
- To protect time for BPS and community program during the day and on weekends, NWSL games cannot take place more than two weekends in a four-week period, and no more than four weekend games per season can start before 5pm
- BUSP must ensure cleanup is completed within 3 hours after each game
- Next year, the White Stadium Neighborhood Council will be created, to advise the city, BPS, the Parks Department, and BUSP on public programming and provide neighborhood feedback on stadium usage.
One of the top issues for many people has been transportation, particularly because there are great concerns of traffic, and there will be a transportation access plan agreement that will be signed after construction documents are finalized. Key elements of the game day transportation plan include:
- Electric Shuttle System: Free electric shuttles for ticket holders from MBTA Orange and Red Line stations, as well as from satellite parking lots on game days
- Multimodal Infrastructure: BUSP will fund a new Bluebikes station, secure bike parking, and a bike valet service
- Parking Protections: Implementation of a resident permit parking system near White Stadium and an app-based parking system (via ParkBoston) for non-game visitors, including zoo visitors, golfers, and park permit holders
