Kraft Strikes $138M In Deals With Boston, Everett For New Soccer Stadium

The Kraft Group has struck deals with local government officials to give Boston's 30-year-old soccer team, the New England Revolution, the first home of its own. 

Under the agreements, the city of Boston would receive approximately $48M spread over 15 years from the Kraft Group, while Everett would benefit from more than $90M over 20 years.

The proposed $500M soccer stadium would be built alongside the Mystic River in Everett. As a result, the deal includes $20M to build a 4-acre waterfront park, along with additional funds to maintain it. Kraft would also pay $17.5M for a new entrance at the Orange Line’s Assembly station in Somerville near a pedestrian bridge that would connect to Everett across the river.

The city of Everett would also receive a $2.25-per-ticket fee from the stadium, which would provide the Revolution their first dedicated stadium since the team was founded in 1996 as an inaugural franchise in Major League Soccer. The club has shared stadiums with the New England Patriots — also owned by the Kraft Group — in suburban Foxborough for the past three decades.

Boston’s agreement is concentrated on infrastructure improvements for Sullivan Square in Charlestown, the neighborhood expected to be most impacted by the influx of traffic caused by the stadium just outside the city limits.

Under the deal, Boston would receive $13M in direct payments and establish a similar per-ticket fee structure — half of which would be directed to Charlestown-specific municipal projects. The city would receive $1 per soccer ticket or 1.5% on top of each concert ticket, the Boston Globe reports.

Ticket fees for both Boston and Everett would be adjusted for inflation, the Globe reported.

Kraft also agreed to coordinate with the city to manage construction as well as traffic and parking once the stadium is completed. The group committed to solicit 25% of construction and ongoing contracts from local minority-, woman- or veteran-owned companies. Boston residents would be prioritized in hiring for stadium jobs. 

Under the deal, the stadium would be built under 2070 flood resilience standards, as well as comply with zero net carbon operational goals and noise and light pollution mitigation requirements.

The announcement, made Wednesday, is a major milestone in making the $500M soccer stadium a reality. It was necessary to meet a state-imposed Dec. 31 deadline to secure zoning approvals, according to the Globe. However, the project still needs state and city environmental and planning approvals to start construction.

“These agreements demonstrate the power of public‑private partnership to deliver transformational outcomes,” the Kraft Group said in a statement. “We look forward to continued collaboration with Everett, Boston, and the community as the project advances through local and state review and as we take the many next steps necessary to bring this vision to life.”

The stadium is slated to be built on the site of the Mystic Generating Station, a power station that was fully decommissioned in 2024. Current legislation allows for only the development of a stadium and park; otherwise, the lot will revert back to industrial use, according to the city of Everett.

“This stadium will enhance Boston’s position as the sports and entertainment capital of New England while transforming a blighted site on our doorstep,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement.

Wu’s office noted that Kraft initially offered just $750K in a one-time payment for mitigation funds for the city. Kraft Group CEO Robert Kraft is the father of Josh Kraft, who ran against Wu for mayor in 2025.

The deal with Everett was inked in the final hours of Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s tenure. DeMaria oversaw a massive development boom in Everett, which included the $2.6B Encore Boston Harbor casino, also on the Mystic River.

“It’s huge for us,” DeMaria told the Globe following the Kraft deal. “It’s something I envisioned for a long, long time … I’m happy to have been able to get it done before my last days in office.”

While teams in the four major North American sports leagues — the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL — have driven the majority of new stadium development in recent years, MLS teams are increasingly anchoring new projects and districts that surround them. 

New York City's first soccer stadium is under construction in Queens. It is tied to a larger development that is expected to yield thousands of affordable housing units. 

In a 2022 announcement, former Mayor Eric Adams said the Willets Point stadium and surrounding development would generate $6.1B in economic impact over 30 years. However, watchdogs have since criticized the proposal, highlighting that the deal reached by the city passes up more than $500M in tax revenues. 

In Miami, Inter Miami FC is building a stadium district on city-owned land called Miami Freedom Park, which is expected to open in April. The $1B project, which includes retail, housing, hotels and offices, is the first stadium district coming to the region.