BOSTON —
A Tuesday evening meeting gave Charlestown residents a voice in the future of a proposed soccer stadium to be built in Everett, Massachusetts.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosted the meeting and received an earful from residents expressing their opinions on the stadium's plans.
"We have to deal with the noise," resident Mary Boucher said. "The noise reverberates across the water."
Another resident, Jake Duhaime, said the stadium would only benefit one party.
"If we think about who benefits from a stadium, it's the Krafts," Duhaime said.
The Kraft Group is behind the proposed stadium and is working with Everett and now Boston on potential impacts to both cities if the stadium is built.
Boston residents worried most about the impact on traffic in an already congested area of the city.
The stadium's proposed capacity is 20,000 people on game days, yet current plans only suggest 75 parking spaces.
"Construction and parking. 74 parking spots. Do we know who those are going to? They are not going to Joe Fan, who shows up to a game," Duhaime said.
The city of Boston said it still has not been given many details, and discussions have been limited.
However, some decisions must be made before a May 1 deadline, when a mediator would then become involved in discussions.
If there is no agreement by Dec. 31, the argument will go to arbitration.
So far, Wu said there have been two meetings with the Kraft Group.
"This is really the first time that Boston is having direct information flow from them, just two meetings so far," Wu said. "Not too much in terms of detail. But we're going to continue pushing and make sure that we're involving the community in what is proposed."
In an appearance on WTVR's "On the Record," Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, commented on the stadium project.
“Well, first of all, I'd recuse myself, as I said, and then I will show you through my actions that I'm always going to put the city first," Kraft said.
Tuesday evening was the first conversation regarding Boston's input on the stadium. If it is approved, construction on the stadium would not begin for some years.