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Old Bayside Expo Center could become new home for New England Revolution
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Comments
Excellent! The Kraft's brand is GOLDEN-Let them build it now!
Public/Private development with a privately built World Class Soccer Stadium is perfect for this location. We won't mention what happened the last time the Kraft's got screwed trying to put a stadium in Boston. Let's hope the new locals and Mayor Walsh can make this happen to quicken the pace of redevelopment at Columbia Point. This is a win-win for both sides. The pols of course should posture for input but this is going to be an excellent positive development for Dorchester and Boston.
No Thank You
The city doesn't need professional soccer here. It won't be just soccer. Monster car, concerts, traffic. No thank you, we're all set.
This is a perfect location for all of those things.
Red Line, commuter rail, I-93 -- it's all there. No infrastructure changes needed at all. And far enough from any residences not to be a major problem for them.
Not too good for driving
From I-93 to the proposed stadium, the Thaddeus Kosciuszko rotary, a noted bottleneck that was supposed to be solved by the Boston2024 people, stands as a hindrance.
And yes, the Red Line is right there, but you did tout the proximity to the Southeast Expressway.
"perfect location"....what?
I completely disagree. Yes there is public transportation. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking people wont drive. The entire area has highly problematic traffic problems on a good day and no parking except for the parking lot in question. And in the mid afternoon , when UMass students start going home, the intersection of the parking lot and Columbia Rd is at a standstill.
"No infrastructure changes needed". That's sarcasm, right? Even without the stadium, infrastructure changes to the existing roads and traffic patterns are badly needed.
And "far enough from residences not to be a problem"?? I take it you are unfamiliar with the area or that's sarcasm too. Some of the residences at Columbia point are within spitting distance of the proposed stadium, and there are thousands of people who live within a stone's throw. It would be highly disruptive to local residents.
Did you just blow in from podunk?
Or are you forgetting that this is the location of the BAYSIDE EXPO CENTER!
Sheesh - short memory.
Podunk?
Nope. I've lived in Dorchester since the mid 70s. Not sure what you mean by your reference to the "BAYSIDE EXPO CENTER!!' means. I can guess you are saying that there is an established precedent for large crowds and lots of crowds at that location.
The Revolution games typically attract 15000 to 20000 people, 17 or more times a season. Plus you can count on the stadium attracting many other events.
That's a much bigger impact than the Flower Show or any other event ever held at Bayside.
There is no such thing as a "perfect location"
Somebody will always be unhappy.
But as far as choices go, this location is pretty good.
Sure, the rotary and off- and on-ramps on Columbia Road can use some work. Hopefully UMass or the Krafts pitch in for it.
The T is the T (unfortunately). The entire system needs improvements, but if they can help get crowds of 35,000+ in and out of Fenway on an almost-daily basis, they can handle the Revs crowds of 20-25K.
As for the area being a bottleneck before/after school, that's pretty irrelevant as most games take place on Wednesday nights or on weekends.
I live in Southie, and welcome a soccer stadium here. I don't get to go to any games now at Gillette as there is no T service to the games, and the few charter buses from Boston are always sold out.
Traffic
I made the comment about student related traffic that you think is irrelevant. I made the original comment as an example of how the area can not handle traffic.
UMass has 16000 students. I dont know how many of them drive, or are at the university at any given time, but when that lot where they want to build the stadium empties out, it is a clusterfxxx.
Revolution average attendance was around 20000 in 2015. I dont know how many people will drive, but all 20000 of them will be coming and going at the same time. It stands to reason that the traffic will be even worse.
You say you live in Southie and support the stadium. There are parts of Southie that I presume wont be affected. There are other parts of Southie that will be greatly impacted by increased traffic and parking.
Of course there will be traffic
And yes, the area around Mt. Vernon Street will be the most affected area.
But at least event-associated traffic will not be an everyday occurrence, and most of the time will not coincide with UMass traffic.
People in the Fenway and around the Garden have adapted, as will Columbia Point. Times change and new projects get built and eventually dismantled. Look at the Seaport (although don't look at it in terms of good transportation planning).
Perhaps the rotary and area benefits will benefit from transportation improvements related to the stadium, if it is built. In fact, I'm OK if they (the city and UMass) make it a requirement in order to proceed with construction.
Brighton Landing
I know Boston is not very good about extracting public benefits from private developers, but make it a condition that they improve the disaster of the Kosciuszko rotary. If you want a drop a huge stadium there, that intersection desperately needs improving. It's one of the most accident prone intersections in the state.
kinda like Fenway
echoing the Fenway thoughts. . . there are 80ish Red Sox games a year that each bring in at least twice the Revs crowd (not counting how busy that area is to begin with) and they do just fine--and that's a more densely populated and arguably more difficult to navigate part of town.
But...
The area could use a LOT of improvement transportation-wise. Have you been to JFK/UMass station? It's a horrible public space, inefficient, and much of it is a huge waste of valuable land. Kosciuszko Circle is also very bad, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. I hate to bring the Olympics back up, but there were some interesting ideas for improving transportation in this part of Dorchester which may apply to this and other development in Columbia Point.
And ...
So?
I'm happy to go to all of those, using the MBTA of course.
I'm sure you take the MBTA to
I'm sure you take the MBTA to tons of monster truck shows.
I have!
Worcester has train service.
Although that may have technically qualified as a tractor pull - there were monster tractors, though!
If they had these monstrosities at the Bay Stadium, I would certainly bike or take the redline from Davis.
Be still my trailer trash heart!
Ok
Let us hear from all the liars who don't live in Boston and have never been to a soccer match on how they are going to take the MBTA to Dorchester.
I live there, so you're right
I live there, so you're right. I won't be taking the MBTA. I'll be walking.
Monster Car? I thought they
Monster Car? I thought they only held that at The Centrum Centre.
On Sunday.
Sunday Sunday Sunday
Crafty Kraft
He has seen the future and its name is Fùtbol.
Perfect spot, Great Idea
There should absolutely be a soccer stadium here in Boston. With the huge Salvadorian, Brazilian, and every other population here; this place will be rockin!
In my short time I spent in LA and the couple Galaxy games I went to, it was such a great experience to have a rockin soccer game with fans chanting and singing and throwing lawn darts ( err).
It will be cool and should be.
Americans, too
Well, Americans, all, but soccer is definitely a thing in the US.
Drive by most parks in most towns in the evening and on spring and fall weekends - soccer, soccer, soccer.
Six years ago, I was hanging around in an airport brewpub in PDX and grabbing lunch before my flight took off. An older couple was seated near me, ranchers from central Oregon headed to visit family (like, hat and all!), and they asked the server to switch the TV to World Cup action. I chatted with them a bit - seems they have grandkids who play and they liked to be there for some of the games. They soon learned what the rules are, how plays are made, and, well, they got hooked.
They probably aren't alone, either. When I made my connection in Salt Lake, it wasn't Latin Americans who were screaming at the TVs.
Eh
Youth soccer, sure, and college programs, but historically the US hasn't cared too much for pro soccer. I think some attitudes are starting to shift, but not in any capacity to overtake even hockey for popularity, let alone football.
It doesn't have to
One reason Kraft wants to bring it into the city is to get it on the MBTA.
Another is to build a much smaller stadium than he has in Foxboro.
already taken over hockey..
...so says the broadcaster of a recent Copa America game. Don't know if he was accurate or what metric he used (tv ratings? live spectators? participation) and he was definitely biased towards soccer, but he def. said soccer is currently the fourth most popular sport in the US.
More than twice as popular
Soccer is more than twice as popular as hockey in the United States (the favorite of 8.2% of people, versus 3.8% for hockey), and it has more participants than football (13.6 million versus 8.9 million - hockey has only 3.1 million). Soccer is played at the high school level in 50 states, and hockey only in 15.
The most-watched sports events in the US since 2005, in order, were: 2015 Super Bowl, 2013 NBA Finals Game 7, 2011 World Series Game 7, and 2014 FIFA World Cup Final. The 2014 World Cup was the most streamed sporting even in US history, more than the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the NBA playoffs.
History isn't the only thing business thinks about. There's also future. When the kids who are now five - and whose default sport is soccer - are all grown up, soccer may be the top sport in America.
The US hasnt cared too much for pro soccer.
because even at the MLS level it is an inferior product compared to the top level soccer in Europe, Mexico, and several South American countries.
Well, the funny thing is,
Well, the funny thing is, those teams, except for an occasional money-making exhibition tour, don't play in the US. Some people want to go watch live soccer, so MLS attendance has been growing steadily over the last decade.
Yes, those other leagues (at least England and Mexico) are far and away more popular on US TV than MLS, but MLS is doing okay.
Guess who goes to see MLS teams
I mean, outside those cities where they are already massively popular?
KIDS and their TEAMS!
I've got some great pictures from the times we went with Medford Soccer. They idolize Messi and James, sure thing ... but they are oh so excited to see MLS, too!
Remember that soccer does not
Remember that soccer does not equal just MLS. The Copa America is being played in the US and drawing pretty big crowds, despite high ticket prices. Yes, many of those are fans of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile... living right here in the US. That money is being spent in the US and it is part of the US soccer economy.
This summer a number of big Euro clubs will come over for friendlies and probably draw decent crowds as well. Last year, 109k fans filled UMichigan's stadium for a match.
The USWNT & USMNT also draw pretty decent crowds.
There are more hours of live soccer available in the US than in England, where it is far and away the most popular sport.
Latino fans
Several posts here seem to think that Latino fans will flock to the new stadium. But the fact is that MLS is regarded as mediocre minor league soccer and not a very good product.
The Central Americans and Brazilian soccer fans that I know don't like the MLS product and don't go to MLS games, and dont watch the team on television either. Also the Revolution roster historically has been a mediocre team lacking in star power, and lacking in Latinos.
yeah....
they lost in the Championship like 5 years in a row. Total shite team.....
Other reasons Kraft wants his team in Boston:
-More fan base, better access to Stadium
-Providence is pining for a team and Foxboro is too close, splitting the fanbase.
-Foxboro Stadium is too big for them, they play to a half empty house and they still have to power and staff the place.
Not about the MLS
Realistically this isn't (currently) about MLS games. They just hosted Copa America games down at Gillette Stadium and they would probably do far better if they were in the Greater Boston area - T accessible. The Latinos, and the international students from all over, would show up for those games as well as qualifiers for the World Cup. And give it a generation or two and MLS games will eventually draw 30,000 - 40,000 (they're currently about half that).
Of course give it a generation or two and that area will probably be under water at high tide, but whatever.
Underwater
If the facility is built property (critical amenities above the cat 2 in 2050 surge line), it will survive flooding events just fine. Tide line won't reach it until the 2100s.
That said, one large facility surrounded by open unbuilt zones will do a hell of a lot better given the coming conditions than putting housing in that area.
Copa America
70,858 fans showed up in Houston to watch Team USA get spanked by smirking Argentines.
and 1 1/2 days prior
Hundreds showed up to watch the Argentine team eat lunch at Tango restaurant in Arlington (yes, it's an Argentine restaurant).
To be fair
45,000 of the people on Houston and most of the people in Arlington were there to see Messi.
Just chatted with a Brazilian friend
He's a huge soccer fan and he thinks MLS is a joke, and that the Revolution is even more of a joke.
He has attended a few Revolution games, only because he has a source for free tickets. He told me he would never pay for "that crap"
Remind your friend...
....how Brazil got eliminated from the Copa America.
That does. Stop the stadium
That does. Stop the stadium immediately!!!!
Where to Park?
That land is now parking for Umass while the rest of the campus remains under construction. Even if the plan were to go through it is still years off because Umass construction will be several more years at the very least.
Does that even matter?
This is so close to the Red Line and commuter rail that people should just use those.
Exactly!
If you have to drive, park at Ashmont or Braintree and red line it in!
Unless
Unless the red line is broken or too overcrowded. A lot of new development is banking on the T yet the state is doing little to prepare for the expected ridership in 5-10 years let alone the current deficiencies.
Need a new plan for the T
How do you hire drivers for peak times and not lose money on them the rest of the shift?
Red Line will be fine
I doubt you take it. It's crowded and gets delayed (esp. Braintree line) during rush hours (and brutal winters) but it works.
I'd def take it to an event at Bayside over trying to drive, weekday or weekend.
Then...
Then I guess we'll have to shut down Fenway Park for the very same reason, no?
YES
With the amount of stress on the T (and my blood pressure) that Red Sox fans bring to town, I've found myself wishing they'd move Fenway out of the city on several occasions. To heck with all the benefits it brings.
Although if they actually invested in improving the T it might not be an issue. But I'm far too jaded to believe that that will ever happen.
Park at Ashmont, you say??
Wtf are you talking about? There is zero parking at Ashmont.
Exactly
This is what happens when pro-transit people, or people who have no clue about what actually exists around stations, comment in a vacuum. For the record... I'm pro-transit.
If you want to be pro-public transit you need to look at the whole picture and not just take a position of idealism. Also keep in mind that not all environmentalists are pro-transit.
There is no garage or parking anywhere along the Dorchester branch of the Red Line between JFK/UMASS and Ashmont. There is also none along the Mattapan-Ashmont trolley line save for a few token spots at a few stations. And forget Mattapan. The former parking lot is up for development.
BTW - No one at UMASS on staff knew about any of this... at least the rank-in-file. Certainly no students. Sort of amusing watching them sharing the link to this UHUB story and the one at Dot Reporter with each other and including a WTF with each.
Also consider
That the poster meant Alewife, but inadvertently typed Ashmont. People use the Red Line north and west of Boston as well.
That's nice dear
Did it ever occur to you that everybody driving everywhere is what got you in the predicament of feeling entitled to parking on space that was considered temporary at best?
(and, YES it is considered TEMPORARY pending redevelopment of the Bayside Expo site! Where were you sleeping that you missed that part? The Commonwealth NEVER intended to give you infinite free parking that employees of less t-friendly universities do not have just because you are special. You will be extremely lucky if the site is used for a stadium and you get to use the parking lot for that - any other redevelopment might take away your precious entirely.)
TAILGATING! Sadly it's the
TAILGATING! Sadly it's the best part of going to MLS games because it sure isn't their high quality of play.
It will take some years to build
Also, UMass doesn't need so much parking at the times that events would take place.
Agreed
Having events on the week-ends and during the summer maximizes the use of the campus parking lots. Charge $10-$15 a car and you have a good revenue stream.
What campus parking lot?
The biggest campus parking lot is where they want to build the stadium<
Go vertical
The previous parking area was 2 floors, so it is doable.
Also, it should be noted that the "lot", until recently, had a building on it, and is currently home to debris of said building.
As someone who takes uber or
As someone who takes uber or the Green Line to these events, Where do people park for Red Sox Games or Bruins/Celtics games. In small lots where they are extorted or take the train from somewhere far away.
Or like BC does, and bans parking on the Streets for non locals and has everyone park miles away and ride a bus.
Wonderland
How about the old wonderland dog track site? Right between the blue line and commuter rail, plenty of parking, and the right footprint. And Latino population close by.
My thoughts (and others) exactly
Wonderland makes more sense for the reasons you mentioned but i'd def. settle for Bayside Expo.
or two stops down...
...at Suffolk Downs. Or over in the Inner Belt, Somerville/Cambridge/Charlestown no-man's land.
These have all been possible locations explored by the Krafts through surreptitious conversations with land-owners and municipal authorities who secretly want it, but fear the community blow-back. And at this point May-uh Mahty should be tremendously aware of that dynamic. Unless he's rewriting the old saw and it's now "once bitten twice as clueless."
Build it if it's privately financed
Kraft can help pay to reconfigure the rotary and for Morrissey improvements. Plenty of UMass parking on weekends.
Orient it facing the bay and it could be a stellar venue for summer concerts as well.
And UMass and BC High and others could use it for athletics.
Doubt monster trucks would draw but WTH? Not a deal breaker
"Kraft can help pay to
"Kraft can help pay to reconfigure the rotary and for Morrissey improvements. "
Linkage, Baby, Linkage!
You are all delusional
MLS sucks.
Revolution sucks
Latino fans dont like MLS because it sucks.
Soccer kids grow up and dont go to MLS games because MLS sucks.
This location for a proposed stadium sucks. Even if it is close to the T, many, or most people will want to take their cars. Why do so many people on this website pretend that cars dont exist, and ignore that Boston traffic in general, and specifically in this location, sucks.
Somone woke up
On the wrong side of the bed.
Have some coffee or whatever.
Correct and incorrect
I did in fact post my tirade before my first cup of coffee. I did not wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
My comments, however, are reality based, as opposed to most I see here on this subject.
citations please
I know that the Patriots have issues with pressure reduction in their area, but I'd love to see you cite a source that proves in reality that the Revolution sucks.
Done
It is an established fact that MLS sucks. And the Revs are part of MLS. There you go.
Seriously, ask anyone who is a soccer fan, even a Revolution fan, and they will tell you.
The MLS
Has but one less franchise than the NHL did in 1991, a mere 25 years ago. Since the Tampa/Miami contraction, they have been a model of stability. No, they are not as good as the top flight leagues in England, Spain, Italy, Germany, or France, but they do okay for themselves.
Soccer kids
Who were born after the MLS had its first season wouldn't even be 20 yet.
MLS will get better. It's a process.
Just like
Triple A baseball, D-league basketball, and semi-pro football has gotten SO much better over the years. I heard the Middleboro Cobras are selling out season tickets to see college washouts and bored cops smash into each other for $50 a game nowadays.
MLS is futbol minor leagues, and always will be. Even South America and Mexico don't have top-tier leagues for cryin out loud. England and Spain have the top 2 pro leagues, and there are half a dozen behind them before you even get out of Europe. The product on the field in USA will always be has-beens and up-and-comers.
I'm not knocking it, I watch from time to time. It is what it is. Lets just not pretend that MLS is gonna rise to NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB levels. NOT HAPPENING.
The best part of having a proper soccer stadium is we will get more exhibition and world qualifier games from top tier leagues and FIFA. That alone will be worth it. Those games draw well at Fenway AND Foxboro.
All part of the process
I agree with you that the best soccer games at that stadium out there are not the Revs right now. It's the Copa America. And that a stadium closer in to the center would bring more top talent (read: not ours).
But this is all part of the process of American soccer growing in skill and popularity. MLS suckage is not a steady state; American soccer was in the wasteland for forty years between 1950 and 1990, not even qualifying for the World Cup. The creation of MLS happened at around the same time as the national team became able to qualify repeatedly for the Cup and became able to advance to the round of 16 repeatedly. It's part of the same process of the sport becoming more popular and valued in this country.
MLS player salaries are increasing every year - over 400% in the past decade - with a long way to go still to reach parity with other countries. MLS quality is also increasing. Attendance at MLS games is already greater overall than hockey games, and triple what it was a decade ago.
In many cities - Orlando, San Jose, Portland, Salt Lake, Columbus - soccer is already the number one sport by attendance. More cities will join that list. The number of NBA and NHL teams whose games are less attended than those of their city's soccer team is huge, including most of the NBA and the NHL - and yes, it includes the Bruins and the Celtics.
It would be silly to imagine that this process has reached its apex. This is a huge nation, ever more connected with the rest of the world, and soccer is what the kids play now. We can grow, or can attract, the talent to compete on par with the world.
One advantage the US has over
One advantage the US has over a number of those countries and that is wealth. Heck, half the teams in the EPL are owned by Americans.
And a lot of soccer players want to live in the US because it's not as soccer crazy as their home countries. Given enough time and money, yes, MLS could rival the world's best leagues. Will it be anytime soon? No, but the "it's never gonna happen" crowd didn't foresee soccer stadiums being built all across the US either.
I dont think so
The 15-16 year old former soccer kids and now soccer teens love to watch the Premier League and international soccer, but couldn't be bothered with MLS.
Just stay in Boston
You wouldn't want to challenge your assumptions with a trip to the Northwest, where teams like the Timbers have fanatical followings.
p.s. Driving causes traffic, if you haven't noticed.
This would be great. I'm not
This would be great. I'm not a fan of sports but I am a fan of building something that can be multi use and is right on the T. Ppl bitching about parking need to realize that having this type of stuff on the T and forcing ppl to not drive into events is actually a good thing.
Kraft seems to know what he is doing. Who knows maybe this would be a kick to help the T be a better option for people. Let's not go all Southie on this before we have all the facts (a la saying no to a privately funded football stadium on the waterfront).
I disagree
How in the world are we going to "force" people not to use their cars. If the stadium is built, some people will take the T, and some people will drive.
People currently take their cars to Carson Beach, Moakley Park, UMass, events at the old Expo center, and St Patrick's Day parade, all near the T. You can count on them taking their cars to soccer games at the proposed stadium too.
How to force people not to drive?
Easy -- don't provide parking.
Try again
People will simply seek parking in the neighborhoods, South Boston , Savin Hill, towards Edward Everett Sq, towards Andrew Square, etc, and around Moakley Park. Even around Fenway, the resident parking is sometimes monitored by meter maids and men, and sometimes not. Metered parking expiring at 6 or at 8 is an option around Fenway, and brings traffic to the area.
I assume there will be existing parking lots that want to make some money at the JFK complex, UMass, Star Market, etc. and of course the stadium will have some parking. It just will. And new facilities will spring up.
So there WILL be parking, people WILL drive to the games and other events, and traffic WILL be a clusterfxx.
It never fails to amaze me how many people on Uhub are in denial that cars, traffic, and parking exist, will exist, and that the situation is bad and getting worse. If anyone thinks a stadium can be built at that location without increased traffic and parking problems, then they are delusional.
I'm not in denial - of course
I'm not in denial - of course there are things that have to be thought about and dealt with but it always doesn't have to be about cars and their drivers all.the.time. We can on occasion try to think outside of the box.
Maybe, just maybe if ppl stopped thinking with the car only mindset of "only if I can drive there or it's gonna suck bc there is no parking or what about the traffic or I don't want to walk 100 feet bc it's my right as an American" we could actually think of better ways to travel this city of ours.
Boston (America really) needs to change it's tune on transportation. We need to have better public transportation, bike routes, etc or soon enough you won't be able to go anywhere in your car b/c your stuck in traffic 24/7. If there were more viable options that you could count on I think people would actually take them.
Creative solution
Folks who point out the T access are right. This is one of the most T-accessible sites in the area... it's a 2 minute walk from the Red Line and Commuter Rail, basically letting everyone from points north and [far] south get there in a one-seat ride.
But concerns of paralyzing traffic are a valid point, too. What we need to do is build this in such a way that you can't drive there: in other words, build it like Fenway was built. With zero parking. Fenway still fills at 34,000 with a relatively small number of people driving to the area. Manage the number of drivers to the site, and you'll manage the traffic situation.
Of course, the project should be required to support fans taking the T there. They can include parking vouchers for Alewife/Braintree/Quincy with each ticket purchase, provide bike parking, and frequent shuttles from North Station. And, perhaps most of all, they should be required to support increased Red Line service during game nights (just like the casino is paying for Orange Line service). This would be a far more effective way of handling transportation, a far more useful investment, than trying to restripe the rotary or install a new traffic signal that will continue to be overwhelmed by vehicle traffic.
Fenway has "zero parking"??
There are parking lots and garages all over the Fenway , Back Bay, and South End, and they are full on game day. People also park on the street .Traffic is a clusterfxxx on game day before and after games.The traffic problems reach into Cambridge, Brookline, the South End, the Back Bay and the Fenway on game day.
What in the world are you talking about?
There's always people on the
There's always people on the Boston subreddit asking how to get out to soccer games at Gillette if they don't have cars (the Revs seem to have a pretty great fanbase because somebody always volunteers to pick those people up) so there's clearly some kind of market for T-accessibility.
20-25,000 is not enough seats
Given the growing popularity of the sport, and the relocation to a more conveniently located stadium, the team will outgrow a facility of that size in less than a decade. I could even envision it being obsolete by the time it opens.
And I say this notwithstanding the drubbing the Yanks took last night. That was a truly awful performance on the world stage (but was worth watching at least to see Messi's unbelievable shot live).
20,000 is MLS standard
Given that the quality of the play is probably at the level of the English Championship League, 20,000 is a decent number of seats for the facility. The MLS specific stadia built across the continent are typically in the 20,000 seat range.
Thankfully
our elected officials quoted in this article are either against this proposal or are skeptical and calling for community input.
This is a terrible idea. I'm guessing most of you who think it's a great idea probably dont live anywhere near Southie or Dorchester. I dont think you will find any support in Southie, and Dorchester where I live.
Southie here
And I support a proposed stadium, as long as there are some transportation improvements (as I said earlier, MBTA, rotary and off- and on-ramp improvements, and I suppose Morissey itself as it will be underwater more often in the future).
When I was a kid in an inner-belt suburb about 35-40 years ago, we drove to Riverside and took the T when we went to Fenway. But hey, if you want to drive all the way into the city, contribute to the traffic you're stuck in, and pay $60 to park for a few hours, you will still have that option.
Wrong
I live in southie and this is a fantastic idea. The T is right there, there is a ton of parking at the expo and UMass, and Boston deserves to host the Revs.
Go NIMBY somewhere else.
Ton of parking at Expo?
The ton of parking at Expo is where they are going to build the stadium. So there will be no ton of parking at Expo.
And I doubt you live in Southie, but if you do, I have a modest proposal. Locate the stadium next door to your humble abode. You wont be accusing others of NIMBYism then.
It will already be so close
It will already be so close as to call it next door. If you don't care to believe that, I'm going to lose sleep tonight so please please please believe me so I can finally get some rest. I'll be wringing my hands, waiting.
Now, take your NIMBY bullshit down the Riviera where you belong.
Also, your contention is that
Also, your contention is that there is not enough parking at a commuter school (student & faculty population of 17,500) to facilitate night and weekend events for a 20,000 person stadium? Lets see your numbers, genius.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Massachusetts_Boston
Commuter school?
They now have a fair number of students from outside Dorchester who rent apartments nearby. And remember that even before the Olympics, they were planning to build dormitories (on, well, the Bayside Expo land).
I think we're quibbling now,
I think we're quibbling now, but a school with no dorms is by definition a....
"Boston deserves to host the Revs"
What does that even mean? Why?
I'm in Southie and heres an idea.
Pave the entire McCormack projects. Build bus/shuttle stations and a walkway over the rotary. Parking solved.
Have Kraft foot the bill for displacing the tenants.
If he wants it bad enough get him to pony up the cash.
why public land for private enterprise
there are privately owned parcels available that Kraft family could buy to locate their stadium. Why is the discussion always around publicly owned sites?
Build it in Chestnut Hill
Let the visionary Mr. Kraft build it at the site of the Chestnut Hill Mall. That's right near the Green Line and his own neighborhood.