White Stadium Demolition Begins While Opponents Remain Concerned

Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP) may spend over $100 million to complete the west side of the stadium, nearly doubling the original estimated total cost

Photo Courtesy of BOS Nation FC

As the city broke ground on White Stadium’s demolition, city officials and community members spent hours at City Hall scrutinizing the renovation.

The City Council’s Post Audit Committee, which aims to review government accountability and transparency, held two hearings Wednesday reviewing project finances and the community engagement process.

The city is expected to pay $91 million in renovation costs for the east side of the stadium. The estimate accounts for contingencies and cost overruns, according to Dion Irish, Boston’s chief of operations. The city has yet to start the public bidding process to choose a contractor, which may affect costs.

Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP) will spend over $100 million to complete the west side of the stadium, according to city officials, which would be double the original estimated cost.

Construction documents, as well as the long-awaited Transportation Access Plan Agreement (TAPA), are expected to be completed this spring. The TAPA will codify game-day transportation management into law. The latest proposal includes satellite parking lots (that have not been chosen), free shuttles, and restricted parking on game days.

Demolition has begun and will continue over the next two months from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., plus possible weekend activity. The city will also begin cutting down trees in accordance with its plan to remove 145 trees surrounding the stadium.

Hours of public testimony during the hearings proved park advocates and some residents are not allowing the demolition to stifle their emphatic opposition to the team’s involvement in the project.

BUSP and city officials maintain they’ve done their due diligence in the community engagement process, pointing to the number of community meetings and open houses, along with other events held since the proposal was announced.

Many argued that the process was disingenuous and not receptive to Franklin Park neighbors’ concerns about the impacts the renovation would have on the park and their quality of life. Additionally, several residents said it was unfair that the city moved on with the initial proposal without providing an alternative option.

“The process occurred… after all of the key decisions had already been made,” said Karen Mauney-Brodek, president of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the city and BUSP. “Yes, there were a lot of meetings, but not about anything fundamental to the project.”

Others questioned why the city cannot renovate the stadium on its own, with a simpler site plan that would still suit students’ needs.

“The city would lose out on program and financial support in other ways,” said Diana Fernandez, the city’s deputy chief of urban design. “There would be no… funds to expand public access hours, and no funds to cover long-term operations and maintenance of the facility, which we estimate to be about $2 million a year.”

Fernandez also noted that without BUSP, the city would lose out on a $500,000 annual fund and rent payments that would be invested back into the park.

Committee Chair Julia Mejia will submit a records request to Mayor Michelle Wu to receive more information pertaining to any unanswered questions that came up during the hearing, such as a detailed cost breakdown of renovation costs. The mayor will then have seven days to respond.

This article was updated 1/30/25 to reflect latest estimated budget.