Revolution Stadium Groundbreaking "12-24 months" Part XVI

After the sometimes confrontational back-and-forth that City of Boston officials engaged in with Wynn Gaming over jurisdictional matters surrounding development of the Encore Boston Harbor resort, I would think that the powers-that-be behind Everett’s push to play host to such a stadium will make sure that the facility’s footprint falls well within the borders of their municipality. Further, given the long, twisting, and heretofore unsuccessful quest the Krafts have undertaken to get a soccer-specific home built for the Revolution, I’d say that they’d be of a like mind on the matter.

 

Kraft held preliminary discussions with Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria about land in the town which is three miles outside of Boston. The Massachusetts House of Representatives is looking to waive rules that could make the Everett land attractive. The legislation would exempt the 43-acre industrial parcel that straddles the Everett and Boston line from environmental requirements

https://sportstalkflorida.com/socce...1QmmP5ht82d3qlTDc5LvOTMsEDMUJmJVWcxTRjZ1j1GIc

 

Two thoughts on this - actually 3. Everett is not run by your typical MA politicians in that the admin there is very pro business and the trickle down effects have been transforming that city. There probably is a ton of contamination in that locality but industrial use there is never returning and if they want to actually use the land for something that enhances the community, it will need to be cleaned up.

As far as settling for Everett, it could be that Mayor Wu's admin may be a lot more open to the benefits of a soccer facility in Boston than any recent administrations. The problem are the cost of the land and accessibility. I'm sure they could find.

Back to Everett, if significant help is needed at the state level, Baker is going to be a lot easier to do business with than Maura Healey, would be my guess so moving quickly is likely the goal.

 

MM66 - your assessment is much more on point than mine. When I said pro business I was attempting to be kind, lol. I would be interested however to hear Michelle Wu's position on this type of project. She's all about diversity, and soccer certainly is that. Plus she didn't come up through the ranks of Boston politics the way her two most recent predecesors did.

 

Geeze Louise, you sound like a Regan Republican! But in this instance this Democrat hopes you're right!

 

Funny you mention Weymouth. The one thing Weymouth has over Foxboro is regular train service. They also have a preapproved stadium footprint. Actually, they slapped up an aluminum stadium there as a temporary home for the Free Jacks. Worked out pretty well until their eventual move to Veteran's Stadium in Quincy. I say that fully realizing that the Free Jacks were a much smaller example of a sporting event there.

 

LOL I do kind of lean that way. However....I've also observed past attempts to get stadiums build around here, from John Harrington's attempt to build a new Fenway, to the drama of getting a new Garden built, to Kraft's having to sign an agreement to move the Pats to Hartford before the legislature finally agreed to fund road improvements on Rt 1 so he could get Gillette built. There's a long history in this town - it ain't easy - and the issues usually come from the pols - just about all of which are from the left side of the aisle. Granted a few were corrupt (Finneran, Flaherty etc) and in the case of the waterfront I think it wasn't so much Menino as other developers having his ear.

 

100% agree!

 

I think you mean a "Reagan" Republican. Regan was Reagan's Chief of Staff after James Baker.

A new stadium for the Revs would also help Pawtucket fill their recently approved USL stadium. I'd imagine that having a D1 team only 20 minutes away would hurt attendance. USL teams do well when they fill gaps in MLS' geography, not when they reside within it.

 

Yeah, I guess it's been that many years. I did live through the Reagan era but I'd forgotten. If I offended I truly am sorry.

Also, agree on the stadium comments.

 

I get the feeling that almost no one really remembers Reagan - Dems, Reps or independents.

 

I remember him as the OTHER Republican with a fixation on walls:

“Mr. Gorbachev open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

 

I thought of a different Regan.

 

Another mention of the Everett project in the Globe:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08...34884&s_campaign=globesmostpopular:newsletter

 

They meant 12-24 years. It’s almost the 12 year mark, so we have a nice and short 12 year window now!

 

But wait, there's more!

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08...t-power-plant-land-everett/?p1=HP_TrendingBar

 

What if the Revs started operating Ferry Service to the Stadium? That sounds like port use.

 

I don't think it's that simple.

The state has a page on its website about designated port areas.
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/czm-port-and-harbor-planning-program-designated-port-areas

This paragraph gives a pretty good idea of what's allowed: "DPAs have features important for water-dependent industrial uses—such as commercial fishing, shipping, and other vessel-related marine commercial activities—and/or for manufacturing, processing, research, and production activities that require marine transportation or access to large volumes of water."

They probably need to have the DPA designation lifted and then see how they can work with Chapter 91.

 

Passed by yet another team:

New York City Reaches Deal to Build Soccer Stadium in Queens
The New York City Football Club will pay roughly $780 million to build the stadium in Willets Point in Queens as part of a project that will include housing and a hotel.
nytimes.com
11/15/2022

 

When we stand proudly alone, with our stadium far from any metropolis, so insistently marching to the beat of a drum no one else even hears, will we then-finally- be the kewl kidz on the block?

 

Sadly, Boston is just not very interested in soccer. That said, the Vegas line for opening day at Revolution Stadium remains the 12th of Never!

 

Interesting to see that Boston is a finalist for an NWSL expansion team. Obviously, an urban SS stadium would be a huge boost to their bid:

Jennifer Epstein, founder of Juno Equity and the daughter of Celtics co-owner Robert Epstein, is the investment group’s controlling owner, with Anna Palmer, a general partner at Flybridge Capital; Stephanie Connaughton, an angel investor, advisor and mentor with early stage start-ups; and Ami Kuan Danoff, co-founder and CFO of the Women’s Foundation of Boston, as managing partners.

Both Epstein and [Boston Mayor] Wu emphasized no agreement has been reached on where the prospective team would play, but White Stadium in Franklin Park appears to be the leading candidate. Wu mentioned East Boston’s Memorial Stadium as well.

Neither of those stadiums is particularly ideal from a location standpoint. White Stadium, at least in photos, looks to be natural grass. East Boston is an artificial surface.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/12...ing-nwsl-team-back-boston-expansion-finalist/ (behind Globe paywall)

 

I don’t know anything about white stadium but East Boston is terrible turf with run down facilities. That would be below minor league unless they do significant upgrades. The lights are also really poor.

 

White Stadium is similar if not exact to East Boston. But it's a better location. East Boston's is terrible. It's cramped and there's constant noise from airplanes.

I find it funny that suddenly the Boston government is enthusiastic with a woman's pro team proposal for White Stadium, whereas they never were with the Revs. That said, maybe it's possible for a SSS on the Franklin Park site for both teams. I think that would be great, but of course they'd have to tear down White Stadium and build a new modern stadium on that site.