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Boston City Council backs calls for Mayor Michelle Wu to provide updated cost for White Stadium

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Boston City Council backs calls for Mayor Michelle Wu to provide updated cost for White Stadium


The Boston City Council unanimously backed a resolution that calls for the Wu administration to release updated cost estimates for the city’s taxpayer-funded half of a public-private plan to rehab White Stadium for a professional soccer team.

The Council voted, 12-0, Wednesday for a resolution put forward by Councilor Julia Mejia “in support of demanding updated cost estimates for the White Stadium project” — a figure the mayor during her reelection campaign committed to disclosing by the end of the year but has not yet provided.

“This resolution is to ensure that the City Council and the people of Boston know the exact financial commitment the city is being asked to take on,” Mejia said. “The last public estimate was over $100 million, and we have every reason to suspect that the number has changed as construction costs continue to rise.

“Yet no updated cost breakdown has been presented to this body or the public. We cannot govern responsibly without real numbers. We cannot ask residents to trust a project with a price tag that is still unclear, and we cannot move forward with a proposal of this scale without a full transparent process that lets us know what the city is on the hook for.”

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Mejia held a press conference with opponents of the White Stadium project and Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy, who co-sponsored the resolution, ahead of the day’s Council meeting.

Flynn said the resolution’s request was for the city to provide “basic and transparent information on how much the White Stadium plan is going to cost the residents.”

“I think residents do want to know how much it will cost and what impact that will have on taxes in the city,” Flynn told the Herald. “I support the development of White Stadium, but I don’t want to see it privatized.”

Melissa Hamel, a Jamaica Plain resident who attended the press conference and is part of a group of Franklin Park neighbors who have joined with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy in suing the city to stop the plan, said she was happy that the Council passed the resolution, but was “skeptical” that the city administration would follow suit and release updated cost projections.

“For me, as a taxpayer who’s lived in Boston for over 40 years and paid their taxes happily, I’m outraged that they want to continue to pursue this,” Hamel told the Herald. “For me to spend $100 million-plus … for a project that would primarily benefit a private enterprise, it’s just insanity to me.”

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Hamel said the situation was particularly fraught given that the resolution was taken up by the Council on the same day it voted to set tax rates that will bring a projected 13% tax increase for the average single-family homeowner next year.

“For them to take money that is designated for the Boston Public School children and the facilities to spend it on a project that really primarily benefits wealthy investors who don’t even live in our community is insulting to me, and then to find out that I’m going to have to pay more taxes, 13%, to fund these projects is just outrageous,” Hamel said.

“The city is already too expensive for most people to live in,” she added.

Mayor Michelle Wu in July laid out a timeline for the city to release an estimate for what the roughly $200 million and counting public-private plan would cost taxpayers by the end of the year, but the final price tag has still not been disclosed.

Flynn said he anticipated that, based on the mayor’s stated timeline, the Council would have already had those figures by its last meeting of the year on Wednesday.

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Wu’s office on Tuesday did not specifically respond to Mejia’s comments in her resolution — where she wrote that the city’s “significant fiscal pressures” heighten “the need for accurate cost estimates before committing substantial public resources” — but did provide a partial cost update which appears to mirror estimates that have been provided since last year.

“As the mayor outlined earlier this year, the complete bid packages for White Stadium were published in October. Under the timeline laid out by Massachusetts public construction laws, the responses will be evaluated and awarded in early 2026,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.

“As of Dec. 9, the city’s project expenditures include $12 million on demolition and construction, and an additional $76 million in subcontracts have been awarded,” Wu’s office said. “After more than 40 years of failed starts, White Stadium is being rebuilt as a state-of-the-art facility for BPS student-athletes and the community, open year-round. We are excited to be underway.”

The project has doubled in cost since it was announced by the city and its private partner, Boston Unity Soccer Partners, and the mayor said last summer that costs would likely increase again due to federal tariffs driving up expenses for steel and other construction materials.

The last estimated cost to taxpayers was $91 million, which was revealed late last year by the Wu administration and represented a significant jump from the city’s initial projection of $50 million for its half of the contentious project.

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Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Made History In Hornets Game

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Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Made History In Hornets Game



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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 01: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts in the first quarter during their game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on November 01, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

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On Sunday night, the Boston Celtics played the Charlotte Hornets in North Carolina.

The Celtics won by a score of 114-99.

Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Made History

GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 26: Jayson Tatum, player of Boston Celtics looks on prior to the international friendly match between Brazil and France at Gillette Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum finished the win with 32 points, five rebounds, eight assists and one block while shooting 12/23 from the field and 5/10 from three-point range in 31 minutes of playing time.

Tatum also made history during the game.

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Celtics Stats wrote: “Jayson Tatum scored his 14,000th career point tonight at Charlotte, becoming the ninth player in franchise history to reach that mark.”

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Tatum is now averaging 20.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 39.9% from the field and 32.3% from three-point range in 11 games this season.

Celtics Stats added: “Jayson Tatum recorded a season-high 32 points tonight at Charlotte. It marked his 16th career game with at least 30 points without committing a turnover – the most in franchise history.”

GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 02: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dunks against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of the game at Spectrum Center on November 02, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Celtics After Hornets Victory

GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena on October 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

With their win over the Hornets, the Celtics improved to 50-24 in 74 games, which has them as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

They are in the middle of a three-game winning streak (and have won seven out of their last ten).

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On the road, the Celtics have gone 24-13.

Following the Hornets, they will play their next game on Monday night when they visit the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena in Georgia.

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 08: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden on March 08, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 111-101. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

With Tatum playing like himself, the Celtics will have a real chance to win their second title in three years.

They are coming off a year where they lost to Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs.

Hornets After Boston Loss

GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 26: (R-L) LaMelo Ball #1 talks with Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets in the second half against the New York Knicks during their game at Spectrum Center on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

The Hornets dropped to 39-36 in 75 games, which has them as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.

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They are in the middle of a two-game losing skid (but have won seven out of ten).

Ben Stinar Ben Stinar has been covering the NBA for over seven years. 

He has written for OnSI, Forbes, Amico Hoops, The Big Lead and had a podcast with former All-Star Jameer Nelson. More about Ben Stinar





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!$+∇√$[+[!LIVESTREAMs!]+] Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins Live Free Streams On Tv Channel 2026-03-29

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!$+∇√$[+[!LIVESTREAMs!]+] Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins Live Free Streams On Tv Channel 2026-03-29


Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins

HERE’S (*WAY TO WATCH*) Minnesota Wild VS Boston Bruins Free LIVE 2026-03-29 Rose Bowl Parade 2026 live: Rose Bowl Parade 2026 look to seize control of thrilling Rose Bowl Parade 2026. Every team in the Rose Bowl Parade 2026 has two wins apiece as we go into the final two game weeks. Rose Bowl Parade 2026 will host Rose Bowl Parade 2026 at Live NHL mAtch Durban’s Kings Park Stadium with the Rose Bowl Parade 2026 a single point ahead of Rose Bowl Parade 2026 in the standings and just one behind leaders Rose Bowl Parade 2026.



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+)WAY TO WATCH Free Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE

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+)WAY TO WATCH Free Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE


Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals

Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE GAME: Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals look to seize control of thrilling Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals. Every team in the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals has two wins apiece as we go into the final two game weeks. Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals will host Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals at Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals Park Stadium with the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals a single point ahead of Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals in the standings and just one behind leaders Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals.



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