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Site in Hub top choice for a soccer stadium
By Scott Van Voorhis
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Major League Soccer is targeting Boston in its search for a new soccer stadium site, one that could also anchor a much larger development.
The league and the Kraft family are kicking off plans to find a site to build a stadium for the New England Revolution, who have long played in the Pats owners? Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.
While soccer executives say they will consider interest from communities throughout New England, Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, made clear yesterday that Boston tops the list.
Soccer stadiums, with 20,000 to 30,000 seats, can require investments up to $100 million. League officials, however, are pitching these soccer complexes - which can occupy 8 to 15 acres - as the center for wider redevelopment plans involving everything from shops to homes.
?Our grand vision is to have a soccer stadium somewhere within the city of Boston,? Garber said. ?We are looking to create the Fenway Parks of tomorrow.?
The interest in Boston comes as the league pushes its franchises around the country to build soccer-anchored mega-developments.
While not ruling out suburban sites, Garber said soccer stadiums in Europe, where the sport is so successful, are located in urban centers like London and Madrid.
And Boston has the right mix to replicate that urban soccer excitement, with a ready-made market of soccer fans in its legion of colleges and young professionals.
One possible site for the new soccer complex might be a Big Dig parcel near Chinatown called South Bay, eyed by the Krafts a few years ago.
Garber said it fits the profile the league is looking for, but he stressed that no specific tracts have been considered yet.
Meanwhile, several parcels on South Boston?s waterfront have been considered in the past for proposed baseball and football stadiums.
By Scott Van Voorhis
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Major League Soccer is targeting Boston in its search for a new soccer stadium site, one that could also anchor a much larger development.
The league and the Kraft family are kicking off plans to find a site to build a stadium for the New England Revolution, who have long played in the Pats owners? Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.
While soccer executives say they will consider interest from communities throughout New England, Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer, made clear yesterday that Boston tops the list.
Soccer stadiums, with 20,000 to 30,000 seats, can require investments up to $100 million. League officials, however, are pitching these soccer complexes - which can occupy 8 to 15 acres - as the center for wider redevelopment plans involving everything from shops to homes.
?Our grand vision is to have a soccer stadium somewhere within the city of Boston,? Garber said. ?We are looking to create the Fenway Parks of tomorrow.?
The interest in Boston comes as the league pushes its franchises around the country to build soccer-anchored mega-developments.
While not ruling out suburban sites, Garber said soccer stadiums in Europe, where the sport is so successful, are located in urban centers like London and Madrid.
And Boston has the right mix to replicate that urban soccer excitement, with a ready-made market of soccer fans in its legion of colleges and young professionals.
One possible site for the new soccer complex might be a Big Dig parcel near Chinatown called South Bay, eyed by the Krafts a few years ago.
Garber said it fits the profile the league is looking for, but he stressed that no specific tracts have been considered yet.
Meanwhile, several parcels on South Boston?s waterfront have been considered in the past for proposed baseball and football stadiums.