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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Who's playing defense against the Everett soccer stadium bill?
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
The winter weather isn’t done with us yet. Get ready for another round of heavy rain and wind — and even snow in some parts of the state. The National Weather Service says the rain will start tonight and continue through Thursday morning in the Boston area and along the coast, where high winds and flooding are the biggest concerns.
Higher-elevation areas and the Berkshires could see a few inches of heavy, wet snow. Combined with the wind, it could lead to power outages, according to the NWS. (Meanwhile, the storm is great news for spring skiers, with as much as two feet of snow possible in parts of New Hampshire and Maine.)
But first, the news:
The pitch against a new pitch: A bill that would rezone some waterfront property in Everett to allow for the construction of a professional soccer stadium is getting a hearing on Beacon Hill today. As WBUR’s Walter Wuthmann reports, it’s the latest move in a years-long effort by the Kraft Group to find a home for the New England Revolution in Greater Boston. The potential project would convert a blighted area around what’s currently a defunct power plant into a 25,000-seat stadium with a waterfront park — and bring jobs and needed revenue to the city. So, why is it up against some powerful opponents? Here’s a look at the main critics of the bill:
- The Conservation Law Foundation: Brad Campbell, the environmental group’s president, says the bill circumvents the normal process for changing a designated port area and wants more public input — particularly around transportation. “Everett has really been the only municipality at the table, even though this is right at the intersection of Charlestown, Somerville and Everett,” Campbell told Walt. “All of those communities would directly be affected by gridlock that this proposed stadium would make far worse on game days. And it’s already pretty bad.” While Campbell thinks a stadium shouldn’t be off the table, he said there’s “a right way and a wrong way to do planning.” (It’s worth noting Everett and the Krafts have proposed capping on-site parking at 75 spots to address car traffic concerns.)
- City of Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu’s office also called out the lack of “any outreach or conversation” with Boston after the zoning change was originally proposed as part of a larger spending bill. Since many fans would presumably walk from Sullivan Square or Charlestown, a spokesperson for Wu said “the foot traffic and congestion impacts would fall most heavily on Boston.”
- TD Garden: Behind the scenes, the owners of the TD Garden have reportedly already pushed back against the Everett stadium, which would bring more competition for large concerts to the area. “TD Garden definitely had weighed in,” state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz told reporters in November.
Meanwhile on Beacon Hill: A conference committee started working yesterday on a compromise spending bill to determine the future of Massachusetts’ overwhelmed emergency shelter system. While both the House and Senate have separately passed bills that would cap the maximum amount of time individuals can stay in the system at around nine to 12 months, they differ on some specific details.
- FYI: The dragged-out negotiations also mean it’s officially illegal (again) to order takeout alcohol from restaurants. The policy expired Sunday night, along with another pandemic-era rule that streamlined the outdoor dining licensing process. State House News Service has more here on how the restaurant industry and liquor stores are reacting to the lapsed policies.
Woo! While the Red Sox home opener is still a week away, you can catch some baseball today in Worcester (hopefully before the rain arrives). The Worcester Red Sox play their first home game of 2024 this afternoon at Polar Park. It’s the team’s fourth season in the city. And as WooSox spokesman Bill Wanless told WBUR’s Fausto Menard, they’re hoping to keep the momentum after leading minor league baseball in ticket sales the past two seasons.
- If you can get out of work early: First pitch is scheduled for just after 3 p.m., and tickets are still available on the WooSox website. As an opening day bonus, former Red Sox fan favorite Trot Nixon will be at the game to sign autographs.
P.S.— While us journalists typically despise April Fools’ Day and the amount of prank fake news it makes us sort through, yesterday did yield a few local ideas we actually enjoyed — from Market Basket bargain weddings to Dunkin’ museum exhibits to MegaCambridge.
