The Boston Branch of the NAACP has asked Mayor Michelle Wu to stop the redevelopment of White Stadium, citing multiple issues ranging including a lack of transparency in leasing the venue to a professional soccer team.
The 10,519-seat facility, formally the George R. White Memorial Stadium, opened in 1949 for use by Boston Public Schools athletics and special events. However, over the years the stadium fell into an advanced state of deterioration. In 2023, the city announced the stadium would undergo a renovation to accommodate the arrival of Boston Legacy FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. Boston Unity Soccer Partners will lease the stadium from the city.
The Bay State Banner reports the redevelopment costs are estimated to be $100 million, with the team expected to invest another $100 million into the endeavor. Demolition work has taken the original facility, which will be rebuilt and expanded.
“As Boston residents and members of the NAACP Boston Branch, we support the renovation of White Stadium into a high-quality public facility that serves all Boston Public School (BPS) student-athletes and the communities surrounding Franklin Park,” the NAACP said in a press statement, adding it had “serious concerns” over the deal that leases the facility to “a private, for-profit entity.”
Under the terms of the lease, Boston Public School students would still use the facility, but student football games will no longer be held there. The NAACP pointed out that the team will likely use the stadium on more than half the weekends during the summer, potentially displacing the festivals and informal events that have traditionally been held there.
On game days, parking bans in and around the stadium will take effect from 3:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., which the civil rights group considered to be disruptive. The city offered a plan for 100 shuttle bus trips from satellite parking and MBTA stations to arrive at the stadium when the team would be playing, which spans from late March through early November.
“The proposal lacks adequate plans for public transit access and parking, placing the burden of traffic, air pollution, noise, and congestion on surrounding neighborhoods,” the NAACP statement added. “In addition, proposed parking restrictions would require nearby residents to apply for event permits just to host family gatherings — potentially stifling essential community life, including cookouts and birthday celebrations.”
The NAACP called on the city to provide an alternative renovation plan for the stadium that the community can review. It also sought a commitment to meet or exceed the Boston Residents Jobs Policy requiring the majority of construction jobs go to Boston residents and people of color.
“Crucially, the City has never seriously considered a fully public renovation plan that would preserve the stadium for student and community use without corporate involvement,” the NAACP said in a statement.
Photo: Artist’s rendering of the new White Stadium, courtesy of the City of Boston
