Sen. Sal DiDomenico said a proposal for the building of a professional soccer stadium and waterfront park on a parcel of land across Route 99 from Encore Boston Harbor, is now in a Senate and House conference committee.
The Senate approved in its supplemental budget last week a measure that would remove the parcel of land from a Mystic River designated port area (DPA). The measure was not included in the House of Representatives’ version of the bill.
“We’re hopeful that we can resolve this in conference committee,” said DiDomenico. “This is an important project for our community, turning a blighted industrial zone – (the former Constellation Energy power plant that is now owned by Wynn Resorts) into a new soccer stadium and open space, with jobs and amenities the community can enjoy.”
The Kraft family, who own the New England Revolution soccer team in addition to the New England Patriots football team, would reportedly invest more than $600 million into the Everett development that would include a 25,000-seat soccer stadium and a waterfront park.
Soccer fans in the area are understandably very excited about the possibility of a soccer-specific stadium being built in Everett. The Revolution currently play their MLS home games in Foxboro at Gillette Stadium, which has a seating capacity of approximately 66,000.
DiDomenico is being credited for bringing all the key parties together, especially environmental groups, ensuring that “they had a seat at the table and their voices were heard.”
DiDomenico said Monday that he was optimistic that the House and Senate conference committee can resolve the differences between the two sides in the House and Senate bills. The conference committee, which was formed last Wednesday, consists of three members from each legislative branch – the Ways and Means Chairpersons (Sen. Mike Rodrigues and Rep. Aaron Michlewitz), the Ways and Means Vice Chairpersons (Sen. Cindy Friedman and Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante), and the ranking Republicans (Sen. Patrick O’Connor and Rep. Todd Smola).
The thought of a Kraft-caliber professional soccer stadium and development and a world-class, five-star resort casino within walking distance of each other in Everett would not have been imaginable years ago.
But that day could be approaching, and Sen. DiDomenico is among the state leaders and sports fans closely watching the negotiations of the newly formed House and Senate conference committee.
“This legislative change [of the Designated Port Area] will allow the public process to move forward on a project that will be transformational and a huge environmental win for our community,” said DiDomenico.