Boston Legacy FC will lease the stadium for up to 20 games per year, contribute roughly $400,000 annually starting lower, and share modest percentages of advertising, naming rights, and concessions, while the team covers maintenance and the city handles construction costs.

A coalition including the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and 20 others filed suit in Suffolk Superior Court citing potential displacement and concerns around noise, light, litter, tree removal, traffic, and parking.

Total project cost is cited at about $325 million, with City of Boston contributing $135 million and Boston Legacy FC about $190 million, plus substantial annual maintenance commitments from the team.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments on the White Stadium redevelopment in Franklin Park, Boston, a public-private venture involving the city, Boston Public Schools, and Boston Legacy FC, with the central question centering on whether Article 97 parkland protections were violated without legislative approval.

The case has evolved through appeals over more than a year, including a previous Superior Court ruling in favor of the project supporters and ongoing legal challenges that now reach the state’s highest court.

Opponents warn that the project could displace marginal communities, increase traffic and noise, reduce green space, and threaten public access if the parkland protections are bypassed.

Costs for the project have ballooned from an initial estimate of about $50 million to roughly $135 million, fueling fiscal scrutiny from taxpayers.

Demolition is already underway and construction is active, financed in part by Boston Unity Soccer Partners with cost-sharing from Boston Public Schools.

City officials, led by Mayor Michelle Wu, defend the rebuild as beneficial for local students and the community, citing private investment support.

The project’s backstory includes a 2023 proposal, a later public-private partnership plan for BPS students and a women’s soccer team, and a 2024 Superior Court ruling favoring supporters—now revisited on appeal.

Conservation groups warn a ruling favorable to the city could erode park protections, while the state Attorney General, Massachusetts Municipal Association, and allies like Kraft-owned New England Revolution back the city for regional soccer benefits.

A Superior Court decision allowing construction to proceed was appealed by plaintiffs seeking to halt or modify the project.