Four Additional Municipalities Seek Involvement in New England Revolution Stadium Discussions

How many seats can be at one table

Photo Courtesy of The Kraft Group

Additional municipalities are seeking involvement in the discussions surrounding a potential soccer stadium for the New England Revolution in Everett.

The mayors of Revere, Medford, Malden, and the city manager of Chelsea formed a coalition called City Mayors for Citizens to seek transparency on plans for the stadium, including the impacts it will have on their communities.

City Mayors for Citizens was created to “identify solutions to potential impacts” of the proposed 25,000-seat stadium, including anticipated traffic congestion, infrastructure issues, public transit concerns, and “overall quality of life,” according to a statement issued Wednesday to The Boston Globe. Additionally, the statement said the coalition was needed after previous requests for information “have gone unanswered.”

Negotiations for the stadium have outwardly grown tense, with Mayor Michelle Wu holding a press conference near the potential stadium site, calling out the Kraft organization on the same day New England had a press conference for the recently acquired Matt Turner. The Kraft Group seemingly responded by holding a presser of its own later in the day nearby the stadium site as well.

“A project of this size and scale will have significant regional impacts,” Revere Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. said in the statement. “We want to ensure that a stadium is contributing positively to the communities it is drawing resources from. Our residents should not bear the burdens of a private stadium that has strong potential to negatively affect their day-to-day lives. “We expect a seat at the table for all four communities as the New England Revolution considers mitigation strategies.”

A club spokesperson told The Boston Globe that it is understandable that neighboring communities have concerns and also noted that there will be a time for everyone to have a seat at the table. First, per the Legislature, agreements must be reached with Boston and Everett, and the property must be removed from the Mystic River Designated Port Area, the Revs spokesperson also told The Boston Globe.

“A proactive, collaborative approach is what will lead to better outcomes for all stakeholders, including the team, surrounding communities, and the fans — thousands of whom call our cities home,” Chelsea city manager Fidel Maltez said in the statement. “We hope the Revolution can appreciate that their offers for partnership in greater Boston must go beyond the minimum requirements. We can all work together toward shared goals.”

The two sides have until December to reach an agreement with the aid of a mediator or else the issue heads to arbitration, where a final decision will be made.