The years-long White Stadium legal saga has come to an end after Massachusetts’ highest appellate court ruled in favor of renovation Wednesday.
The state’s Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) released its verdict, saying the parcel is not considered parkland, and therefore not subject to Massachusetts environmental laws. This is in line with Justice Matthew Nestor’s initial ruling, which the plaintiffs appealed, when the trial was first held in the Superior Court last year.
The suit was first brought on in 2024 by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and the Franklin Park Defenders, a group of park advocates and Boston residents, against the City of Boston and Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP).
The plaintiffs argued that:
- White Stadium is considered parkland. The renovation project violates Article 97 of the state constitution, which requires a two-thirds legislative vote to approve the land’s change of use to a stadium. The soccer team’s use and construction of park roads outside of the stadium parcel would also qualify as a change of use for Franklin Park as a whole.
- The public-private partnership between the City and BUSP violates the White Fund Trust’s terms.
The SJC determined that White Stadium was designated a school building and yard (rather than park land) in 1950, so the parcel would not be subject to Article 97 and would not need a legislative vote for the renovation. The court further concluded that “the plaintiffs' challenges to the proposed use of areas within Franklin Park, but outside the stadium parcel, fail.”
The SJC’s verdict also indicated that the plaintiffs had no standing to challenge a violation of the trust.
"[The] Supreme Judicial Court ruling is a tremendous victory for Boston Public Schools students, the Franklin Park community, and the future of professional women's soccer in Boston. The Court's decision clears the way for completing the White Stadium renovation and delivering a world-class facility that will serve our community for generations, and sets a national standard for youth athletics and professional women’s soccer," Jennifer Epstein, controlling owner of Boston Legacy FC, said in a statement. "Together with the City of Boston and our project partners, we look forward to welcoming students, neighbors, athletes, and fans to a revitalized White Stadium."
White Stadium Updates
Mayor Michelle Wu held a press conference at Franklin Park Thursday to address the verdict and what is to come for the stadium.
“Now that we're processing the final decision and the ability to really plan and map out everything to come, we're going to be taking a look at what all the remaining phases are and what that schedule looks like,” Wu told The Blazing Musket when asked if the stadium would be ready by the time the Legacy begins its next season.
Back in February, the city said the stadium was slated to be complete by summer 2027. The field would also be playable by the start of the season, however, this was said before the league announced it would have an earlier start date.
Though the city’s White Stadium construction updates website says the stadium will open next summer, the mayor could not give a concrete timeline or completion date Thursday.
“[We] have accomplished a lot of the major milestones in terms of the build and different sections being completed already, but it is undeniable that the litigation process has been a distraction and took significant resources and time and energy,” Mayor Wu said during the press conference. “And so we are evaluating closely and we'll be working to really fully assess what that means for the remainder of the schedule.”
Construction crews have been on site six days a week, and vertical construction has progressed for both grandstands, as can be seen on the stadium construction cameras.
The subsurface utility work and the foundation pouring is essentially done, according to the mayor. The city will receive one more steel shipment at the end of the month, though 35% of the project’s steel is already up.
"We’re making real progress on both sides of the facility," Epstein said in a statement. "With clarity provided by the Court, we’re taking a close look at the project schedule and what this decision means for the timeline. Our team is working through those details now, and we expect to have more for you soon.”
