BOS Nation FC Inks White Stadium Lease Agreement
“We are incredibly proud that our team’s home will be in the heart of the city through this generational public-private-community partnership to revitalize White Stadium."
The City of Boston and BOS Nation FC have signed a 10-year, public-private lease agreement for White Stadium, Mayor Michelle Wu announced on Monday.
“We are incredibly proud that our team’s home will be in the heart of the city through this generational public-private-community partnership to revitalize White Stadium,” said Jennifer Epstein, BNFC’s controlling owner. “A renewed White Stadium will honor its historic roots while providing an extraordinary fan experience and we are excited to take the pitch at this iconic venue for our inaugural season in 2026.”
The club will pay $200,000 in rent for its first season, prorated for the number of months the field will be operational. The cost will increase to $400,000 in the second season, with a 3% increase for each following year.
Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP), the team’s ownership, will provide financial safeguards to protect the city, including contributing $45 million to an account before it secures financing for the project.
The team will share some of its revenue with the city, including 10% of in-stadium advertisements, 10% of field naming rights, and 3% of concession sales. A larger portion of that revenue will go to a fund that will be used for operations and maintenance costs.
A stadium usage agreement gives the city and Boston Public Schools (BPS) scheduling priority, and limits BOS Nation to two weekend games within a four-week period, with a maximum of 20 games per year.
BUSP will create a host of community benefits with this agreement, said Wu. The team has pledged an annual contribution of $500,000 to its community fund, which will go to local organizations and initiatives. The project will create 500 construction jobs, and the city’s minority and women-owned businesses will make up 50% of hired vendors and subcontractors.
The long-awaited transportation agreement will be signed after construction documents are finalized, according to the city’s press release. The team will provide free electric shuttles from satellite parking lots and some MBTA stations, and will fund bike parking and a new Bluebikes station near the stadium. The agreement will also implement resident permit parking and traffic enforcement on game days.
The city’s budget for the stadium renovation was set at approximately $50 million when the Boston Planning Department approved the project in July. BUSP indicated its own investment would exceed $50 million, but did not provide the department with a specific number.
The city’s portion has since increased to $91 million. The initial $50 million estimate was a placeholder in the city budget, Mayor Wu explained last week. She pointed to construction costs and design changes as a result of the increase, and noted BUSP would cover more than half the costs of construction.
The mayor provided a breakdown of the city’s current costs for the project in a Bluesky post:
$10 million - Grass turf, 8-lane track, etc.
$50 million - East Grandstand, BPS locker rooms, community kitchen and event space
$20 million - BPS Athletics offices, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, coaching
$10 million - Park landscaping, utilities, trees, pathway and lighting upgrades from the Franklin Park Action Plan
Epstein did not directly comment on the city’s updated cost when asked about the increase in a press conference a few weeks ago, instead reiterating the ownership’s commitment to the project.
“Transforming [White Stadium] into a modern and accessible stadium that is a worthy home for the Boston Public School students and our club, while restoring it as a treasured asset for the community, requires significant capital investment,” she said.
The city and team dealt with more tumult surrounding the renovation project as they finalized the lease.
This month, a state Superior Court judge extended the timeline for discovery in the ongoing lawsuit between the Franklin Park Defenders and the city and BOS Nation ownership. The ruling gives the parties more time to gather evidence, review documents, and conduct depositions, but the March 18, 2025 trial date will remain the same. The plaintiffs, a group of local advocates, sued in February 2024 in an attempt to block stadium demolition and construction.
“This decision is a victory for every member of the public who deserves to see what else the proponents of this absurd plan are hiding,” said plaintiff Melissa Hamel in a press release.
The city and BUSP also considered the ruling a win since the trial date was not postponed.
“We remain confident that there is no legal foundation for this case, and it is clear that the plaintiff's sole intent is to employ delay tactics,” the club said in a statement. “We look forward to resolving this frivolous lawsuit in March.”
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn added to the opposition when he released a statement last week calling for the cancellation of the renovation. Flynn has spoken out about his disapproval of the project before. When the Boston Parks Commission met in August, Flynn told the commissioners they should not have a vote on stadium demolition, citing a lack of transparency and disregard for resident feedback.
The Franklin Park Defenders released a statement following the lease announcement reiterating the plaintiffs’ grievances and saying the agreement has serious flaws that will add to the negative impacts the surrounding communities will face.
Several factors have delayed the demolition, which will now take place in January, ahead of the March trial. Though one of the plaintiffs’ goals is to stop the public-private renovation, the core of their argument is to prevent the private use of the land. Several of the plaintiffs and other residents have made it clear during past public meetings that they support a renovation of White Stadium, but do not believe it should be linked with a for-profit entity.
BOS Nation FC did not answer questions regarding a contingency plan in case it is unable to play in White Stadium at the start of its inaugural season, however, Mayor Wu is hopeful the field will be completed by March 2026.
Controlling owner Jennifer Epstein identified Boston University’s Nickerson Field as a backup in 2022, as reported by The Boston Globe, but the university confirmed with The Blazing Musket that though there was an initial inquiry from the team, there have not been any recent conversations regarding field use.
Lawsuit Rundown
The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, an organization working to protect Emerald Necklace parks, and a group of advocates sued the city, BUSP, and the trustees of the George Robert White Fund in February 2024
The plaintiffs are against the privatization of the stadium, and say the city is violating Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution
Article 97 (aka Public Lands Preservation Act) is intended, in part, to prevent park land from being privatized
The city argues that White Stadium is not subject to Article 97 since the state designated the stadium as a school building rather than park land
In March, a judge denied the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction, allowing demolition and construction to take place before the trial date