Civil Trial on Boston’s White Stadium Project Begins
A civil trial over Boston’s White Stadium project has gotten underway.
The Emerald Necklace Conservancy Group is suing to stop Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC from turning White Stadium into the home for a National Women’s Soccer League team while creating a state-of-the-art facility that Boston Public Schools (BPS) students can use.
Wu said that, after two years of community input, the lease is signed, and the city is moving forward with demolition. The Conservancy and approximately 20 park neighbors, who filed the lawsuit, accuse Wu and her administration of trying to privatize a public park for commercial gain.
City officials and Boston Unity Soccer Partners have said that BPS and the city will retain ownership of the stadium.
According to a NewsCenter 5 report, Article 97 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution will be central to the judge’s decision in the case. This amendment “establishes a right to a clean environment including its natural, scenic, historical, and aesthetic qualities.” The judge must determine whether Article 97 applies to this project.
The Boston Herald reported that on Monday, March 17, Superior Court Judge Matthew Nestor sided with the city and dismissed half of the plaintiff’s case, which argued the project violated the public charitable trust created in 1947 for the parkland. The Conservancy also argues that the renovations, estimated at $200 million, violated the terms of the George Robert White Fund, which prohibits co-mingling funds for joint projects.
The outcome of the civil trial will determine whether the city can proceed with renovating the 76-year-old facility into a shared venue. Taxpayers would finance half the cost of the project, approximately $100 million.
