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Kraft rips Wu on White Stadium: ‘A catastrophic failure of city management'
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Standing in front of a remaining wall of the stadium, fenced in by a construction, Kraft said Monday that Wu was overseeing 'the least transparent City Hall in generations.'
'You need to stop hiding the ball and tell the taxpayers what the actual cost is going to be,' he said. 'This is a catastrophic failure of city management.'
Kraft said his campaign had received the $170 million from City Hall insiders, but did not name names. Asked what is driving costs up, he told reporters they should 'check with the city.'
Messages left with Wu's office and campaign were not immediately returned Monday morning.
The stadium rehabilitation plans, which aim to create a home for the women's professional soccer team Boston Legacy FC, has been met with mixed reaction locally. The stadium is located within Franklin Park, Boston's largest green space.
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Proponents have lauded the badly needed improvements to the facility, which had fallen into disrepair, and access for Boston Public Schools student-athletes and the Franklin Park community, as well as the positive impact of a women's professional soccer team playing in a public facility.
But there also has been plenty of pushback from opponents who say a professional soccer stadium is not the right fit for the location. They have concerns about impact of the project on that park and the surrounding areas.
In recent weeks, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy continued its legal challenge of the project, filing a notice of appeal with Massachusetts Appeals Court.
At Monday's news conference, opponents of the project held signs reading 'Save Franklin Park' and 'Franklin Stadium Bag Job.' Much of the stadium's old edifice has been demolished. On Monday, scaffolding stood in front of one stadium stand that faced an entrance to the park.
Additionally on Monday, the NAACP Boston Branch called
'However, we have serious concerns about the current $200 million proposal to redevelop White Stadium into an 11,000-seat venue to be leased to Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP), a private, for-profit entity,' read the statement.
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The team is to use the renovated stadium for portions of up to 40 days of the year, plus be responsible for year-round maintenance and operations.
A new eight-lane track will surround the professional-level grass field, with BPS Athletics gaining new office space in the city-financed and rebuilt east grandstand, which also will contain student and community usage space.
The team is responsible for the construction of the west grandstand and a year-round restaurant being built just outside the stadium and still within the parcel.
On Monday, Kraft said he would support an alternative concept proposed by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy that would see White Stadium refurbished into a
'That's what I would've liked to have seen happen,' he said during the press conference.
A handful of demonstrators protesting the city's current plan replied: 'Still can!'
The city's proposal for the site, he said, constituted a 'bad idea' from the onset. Wu, he said, has been 'outfoxed' by private investors behind the deal.
'The public deserve answers,' he said.
This developing story will be updated. Michael Silverman and Niki Griswold of Globe staff contributed to this report.
Danny McDonald can be reached at
