Support WBUR
Boston's Morning Newsletter
After standoff, Foxborough to formally vote Tuesday to allow World Cup games at Gillette Stadium
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.
Happy St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day! Metered parking in Boston is free all day, in tribute to Henry Knox and friends' work 250 years ago to push the British out of the city for good. WBUR's Berto Scalese explains how the pivotal evacuation unfolded in this delightful 90-second video.
Now to the news:
Just for kicks: After weeks of wrangling and enough uncertainty to make you nervous, Foxborough officials are expected to take the final step tonight to clear the path for World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium this June and July. The town's select board is expected to vote on their deal with World Cup organizers to ensure local taxpayers won't be on the hook for what they estimate is nearly $8 million in security costs for the games (think: police details, equipment, etc.). The vote is something of a formality, after Foxborough's Select Board gave an initial approval last week. "I'm very pleased to say that all of our funding concerns have been addressed," board chair Bill Yukna told WBUR last week.
- The details of the deal: Gillette Stadium's owners, the Kraft Group, will front all of Foxborough's security costs through Boston 26, the local World Cup host committee. According to a copy of the agreement signed last week, Boston 26 already wired Foxborough $1.5 million to cover equipment purchases ahead of the games. And later this spring, the group will cover the town's payroll expenses for law enforcement and emergency personnel working the matches on a rolling basis through the tournament. According to the deal, Boston 26 has to pay the money within one business day of getting an invoice from Foxborough.
- Catch up: The federal government has promised local host states and cities hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for public safety during the World Cup. However, the distribution of that money had hit an “administrative delay.” And without assurances the town would be reimbursed, Foxborough's Select Board threatened to not issue the entertainment license required for games at Gillette.
- The stakes: Again, the vote should be a formality. However, if the license isn't approved by tonight, the signed agreement document states that FIFA "will have no choice but to" relocate Foxborough's World Cup games somewhere else.
- ICYMI: People close to the negotiations credit one Massachusetts state senator for keeping both sides talking. Here's the backstory on how the deal got done.
At the pump: The average price of a gallon of gas in Massachusetts is now $3.58, according to AAA. That's 68 cents higher than a month ago, as the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran continues to drive up gas prices.
- The latest: President Trump, who is trying to press other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, has argued prices will come down quickly when the war is over. Israel said Monday it's planning for at least three more weeks of war.
- What's next: In the meantime, the conflict is combining with seasonal demand and a shift to the summer blend of gasoline that could drive prices even higher, NPR reports. Mark Schieldrop, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast, also said that last week's historic release of stockpiled oil and easing of Russian oil sanctions may not do as much as some hope. "Many market participants view those moves as signs for concern," he said in a statement Monday.
On Beacon Hill: A bill to allow virtual casino games met its virtual end yesterday. As State House News Service reports, lawmakers on a House technology committee voted unanimously to send a so-called "iGaming" bill — which could have led to people playing casino games like poker and blackjack online — to "study." That's Beacon Hill's way of saying "try again next session."
- What was the case for it? Supporters argued the bill would add guardrails to illegal internet gambling sites already in use — plus generate up to $200 million in revenue for the state. Opponents countered it could increase gambling addiction and cannibalize revenue at the state's physical casinos.
In the dark: More than 50,000 people in Massachusetts — including about a third of Leicester and Ayer — are waking up without power this morning, after last night's gusty storm.
- The wind also made for not an especially fun day at Logan Airport, which had hundreds of cancelations and delays Monday. Today is also off to a rocky start, with 63 delays and 44 cancellations so far, according to Flight Aware.
P.S.— Expect a few familiar faces in tonight's final of World Baseball Classic between Team USA and Venezuela. The Americans are in the finals thanks in large part to 21-year-old Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, who hit the go-ahead home run in their semifinal game Sunday. Meanwhile, former Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will start for Venezuela, after they knocked out tournament darlings Italy (and their dugout espresso machine) last night. And Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been taking bat flips to new levels. Here's how to watch the game.
