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State senator outlines transit, environmental and funding steps for proposed Revolution stadium
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Summary
Senator Sal DeDomenico told the Chelsea City Council the Revolution is proposing a 25,000‑seat stadium on the Everett waterfront, and that transit improvements, environmental safeguards and funding deadlines tied to the project will affect neighboring communities including Chelsea.
Senator Sal DeDomenico told the Chelsea City Council on April 28 that the Revolution professional soccer team is proposing a privately financed, 25,000‑seat stadium on the Everett waterfront and described steps taken to limit traffic and require environmental protections.
The senator said the project would rely on a transit‑first approach, listing five planned access methods: a new commuter rail stop paid for by the developer, an extension of the commuter rail line toward Chelsea, a footbridge from Assembly Row, improved access to Sullivan Station in Charlestown and water shuttle service to a four‑acre waterfront park the developer would build and maintain.
The project site sits within a designated port area (DPA) that covers parts of Everett and Boston; legislation passed in November lifts the DPA for about 8.8% of that land only after cities sign a community benefits agreement, the senator said. He warned of statutory deadlines: if no agreement is in place by May 1 the matter goes to mediation and, if unresolved, to binding arbitration later in the year.
The senator described environmental and resiliency conditions that have been written into legislation: a Chapter 91 process because the site is waterfront, additional environmental justice provisions that give nearby communities an added review role, and DEP guidance on shoreline cleanup. He said the developer (the Kraft family, as referenced in the meeting) has agreed to raise the stadium footprint by 14 feet to reduce flood risk at its expense and to build and maintain a four‑acre public park on the site.
On funding, the senator said the privately financed stadium project is estimated at about $700 million for 25,000 seats, with only about 75 parking spaces on the site by design. He said there had been roughly $22 million in state funding earmarked for related resiliency work and that $50 million in federal funding the project expected was recently cancelled; he warned the loss would create a funding gap for flood protections and other work. He described the stadium as the catalyst for transit investments that otherwise would not be funded.
Councilors asked about local impacts. Councilor Taylor and others raised concerns about whether Chelsea streets would see spillover parking and urged the city to consider extended enforcement of resident parking and other measures. The senator said the MBTA produced a plan that does not fully fund all elements; he said the developer and state have committed to completing several elements, including the commuter stop and footbridge, and that the MBTA report recommended a mix of rail, bridge and water connections to reduce traffic impacts on neighboring communities.
Why this matters: The project would bring major private investment to the waterfront, new transit infrastructure and a high‑visibility public process with statutory deadlines. Chelsea councilors pressed for a clear plan to prevent game‑day parking spilling into Chelsea neighborhoods and for inclusion in any community benefits discussions.
Provenance: Senator remarks began when he was introduced to brief the council on the stadium and concluded after a period of council Q&A; those transcript blocks include the senator's overview of transit components, environmental protections and funding status.
