Waste of the Day: Boston’s Soccer Stadium Cost Almost Tripled

Topline: The City of Boston’s soccer stadium renovation was supposed to cost taxpayers $50 million when it was announced in March 2024. The cost is now up to $135 million — a fact that Mayor Michelle Wu knew for a month before informing the public, according to the Boston Herald.

A 77-year-old stadium

Key facts: White Stadium has been used by student-athletes at Boston Public Schools since it was built in 1949. After the renovation, it will also house the Boston Legacy FC women’s soccer team.

Wu announced the ballooning price in a Feb. 6 press conference, but a public records request filed by the Herald revealed that the city had known since Jan. 8 that the cost to hire BOND Building Construction had increased.

Combined with private funding, the stadium is now estimated to cost $325 million. Boston Legacy FC will contribute $190 million, leaving taxpayers to pick up the tab for $135 million.

Wu partially blamed the price change on labor costs increasing “significantly” and the price of steel rising “40% from when we started.” The Herald noted that steel is only a small fraction of the project’s total cost.

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Community backlash

Background: The White Stadium project has faced strong backlash from some community members and politicians. In January 2025, the Boston City Council was one vote shy of passing a resolution that would have paused construction. 

A community group is suing to stop the construction, claiming that the women’s soccer team is illegally privatizing land that is designated for the public. A Superior Court judge sided with the city because it will maintain ownership of the land and charge rent to Boston Legacy FC, but the plaintiffs are appealing to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

The stadium was also an issue during Wu’s reelection campaign last year. Her opponent Josh Kraft said “folks on the inside at City Hall” had told him the taxpayer cost had increased to $172 million, which Wu denied. The price is not as high as Kraft claimed, but it has surpassed Wu’s original estimates.

Summary: Boston officials should take a cue from soccer players and avoid using their hands to dole out millions of dollars on overbudget projects.

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This article was originally published by RealClearInvestigations and made available via RealClearWire.