Boston Legacy Football Club, the pro women’s soccer team that will use Franklin Park’s White Stadium as its home playing field, says it has secured $100 million in financing from Bank of America needed to advance and complete renovations to the facility— clearing a major hurdle for a project that has become a best priority for the Wu administration.
The National Women’s Soccer League expansion franchise received an extension to secure a complete financing package earlier this summer with a Sept. 15 deadline to finalize its offer. The old stadium was largely razed to the ground last spring and construction work had slowed on the site as the terms of the team’s plan were ironed out.
“Boston Legacy Football Club is proud to play a central role in restoring White Stadium as a state-of-the-art venue for the City’s student-athletes, and a new home for women’s professional soccer in Boston.” said Jennifer Epstein, Controlling Manager of Boston Legacy Football Club. “As part of our lease, we will cover the full cost to operate and maintain White Stadium for decades to come, supporting BPS athletics and ensuring this facility remains a meaningful public resource in Franklin Park. We’re proud to be moving forward with financing from Bank of America to realize White Stadium’s restored future.”
In a lease agreement signed by Mayor Michelle Wu last December, the team agreed to pay for half of the costs needed to demolish and rebuild a new facility in time for the team— and Boston school kids— to use it by spring 2026. The team has since announced that its first season will be played at Gillette Stadium while the White Stadium project is finished. The team today expects to begin using White Stadium in 2027.
Mayor Wu, in a statement, called it “another major milestone as we move forward with delivering a world-class sports complex for BPS students and a new community resource for Franklin Park.”
“After many decades of waiting, Boston’s student athletes will have an athletics facility that matches their talent and potential, owned by BPS and available more than 345 days per year to students and the public,” said Wu. “We are excited to see the next phase of construction get underway.”
The city of Boston’s financial commitment to the joint venture was first estimated at $91 million with some indications that the number could rise even higher. The soccer franchise is expected to pay a sum even larger for its contribution to the renovation.
Sources close to the project say that the $100 million in financing announced today is “over and above” a $25 million sum placed in an escrow account last February that acts as a guarantee to the city in case the team were to come up short in its financial commitment to the construction job.
It is not yet clear what the total cost to the city of Boston will be.
The delay came amid a preliminary election campaign for Boston mayor in which challenger Josh Kraft and other critics of the project assailed Wu for her decision to move ahead. A lawsuit brought by some opponents who sought to block the project was dismissed last April. But opponents, fueled by the Kraft campaign’s platform, have continued to dog the idea. It’s not yet clear how last week’s blowout victory for Wu over Kraft— including decisive victories at precincts surrounding the Franklin Park area— will change the tone of opponents.
The team agreed last year to pay $400,000 in annual rent over a ten-year term— a fee that will rise 3% each subsequent year— and has also agreed to share a portion of advertising, naming rights, and concession proceeds. Boston Unity Sports Partners also promised to contribute $500,000 to a “community annual fund” that will be “distributed to local organizations.” And one dollar from every pro soccer game ticket will be used to fund improvements to Franklin Park under the lease arrangement.
“Bank of America is pleased to work with the Boston Legacy Football Club to help bring women’s professional soccer back to Boston,” said Miceal Chamberlain, President of Bank of America Massachusetts. “As the presenting sponsor of the Boston Marathon, and the official bank partner of the U.S. Soccer Federation, and the official bank of FIFA World Cup 2026, we understand the positive impact sports has on the community.”
WBUR and the Dorchester Reporter have a partnership in which the news organizations share resources to collaborate on stories. This story was originally published by the Dorchester Reporter.
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