The Emerald Necklace Conservancy and 15 plaintiffs are suing to stop what they say is "the unconstitutional privatization of public land" to rehabilitate Franklin Park's White Stadium so it can be the home field for a women's professional soccer team. The plaintiffs are suing the city, the trustees of the George Robert White Fund, and Boston Unity Soccer Partners. The lawsuit alleges that the proposed redevelopment of White Stadium by Boston Unity
Soccer Partners, a private for-profit investment group, “would not only violate the White
Fund Trust and [the Public Land and Protection Act, Article 97, of the Massachusetts
constitution] by transferring public trust land to private use and excluding members of the public from the Project Site, including some Boston Public School sports teams who currently use White Fund Stadium, it would fundamentally alter the nature and feel of a significant portion of Franklin Park during the majority of fair weather weekends each year,” according to a press release. The lawsuit contends the defendants are proposing to privatize White Stadium and 1.5 acres of surrounding public parkland in Franklin Park. They contend the plan would displace Boston Public Schools student-athletes and the local community from White Stadium and Franklin Park.
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