Massachusetts’ highest court heard arguments Wednesday on the legal challenge to the controversial renovation of White Stadium in Franklin Park.The city and Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC, a for-profit company, are renovating the stadium to make it the home for Boston Legacy Football, a National Women’s Soccer League team, and provide a state-of-the-art facility for Boston Public Schools students to use as their home turf.The Emerald Necklace Conservatory and several neighbors of Franklin Park sued Boston to stop construction on environmental and economic grounds. One of their arguments is that the project violates the eminent domain that was used to take the land for the park decades ago.”There’s a difference between a high school stadium open at both ends for high school football games and one where you are going to have portions from which the public, and even the school department, is excluded,” said Alan Lipkind, an attorney for the plaintiffs.”The Legislature has already recognized that the leasing of under utilized or unused parts of school buildings to private, for-profit making businesses does not change the fact that it’s a school building,” said attorney Sammy Nabulsi, an attorney for the defendant. A superior court judge ruled last year that construction could move forward. Those behind the lawsuit appealed that decision.Earlier this year, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city is chipping in $135 million for the project. The city’s share of the total construction project will be millions more than the original estimate. The total cost to renovate the stadium is now in excess of $325 million.
Massachusetts’ highest court heard arguments Wednesday on the legal challenge to the controversial renovation of White Stadium in Franklin Park.
The city and Boston Unity Soccer Partners LLC, a for-profit company, are renovating the stadium to make it the home for Boston Legacy Football, a National Women’s Soccer League team, and provide a state-of-the-art facility for Boston Public Schools students to use as their home turf.
The Emerald Necklace Conservatory and several neighbors of Franklin Park sued Boston to stop construction on environmental and economic grounds.
One of their arguments is that the project violates the eminent domain that was used to take the land for the park decades ago.
“There’s a difference between a high school stadium open at both ends for high school football games and one where you are going to have portions from which the public, and even the school department, is excluded,” said Alan Lipkind, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
“The Legislature has already recognized that the leasing of under utilized or unused parts of school buildings to private, for-profit making businesses does not change the fact that it’s a school building,” said attorney Sammy Nabulsi, an attorney for the defendant.
A superior court judge ruled last year that construction could move forward. Those behind the lawsuit appealed that decision.
Earlier this year, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city is chipping in $135 million for the project. The city’s share of the total construction project will be millions more than the original estimate. The total cost to renovate the stadium is now in excess of $325 million.
