The progressive face of the Democratic Get together, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, simply handed an enormous victory to the type of individual she has repeatedly bashed — a billionaire sports activities group proprietor who’s friends with President Donald Trump.
Ultimately, Robert Kraft, proprietor of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, obtained what he needed — a large stadium challenge on an industrial web site in Everett for his soccer group — as a result of Wu allowed it.
Wu and the Kraft Group reached a deal that can carry $48 million to the town over the subsequent 15 years, thanks largely to a $1 surcharge on soccer ticket holders and 1.5% surcharge on live performance goers’ tickets.
Kraft additionally agreed to fund “all public security and transportation administration prices for stadium occasions.” Wu known as it a “honest deal” for Boston residents.
However the $750,000 initially provided by Kraft to Boston was by no means a severe supply — it was simply an preliminary bargaining place.
“These agreements replicate years of collaboration with metropolis leaders and neighborhood stakeholders to make sure the challenge delivers significant, lasting advantages for residents whereas addressing transportation, environmental and municipal impacts,” the Kraft Group stated in a press release.
To get the deal completed, Wu, who has repeatedly trashed Trump and billionaires, ignored the Kraft-Trump bromance and the truth that Kraft’s son, Josh, ran towards her within the 2025 mayor’s race.
Trump and Kraft have lavished reward on one another and Kraft has even donated cash to his presidential marketing campaign, however that reality didn’t cease Wu from blocking the stadium.
She did drive Kraft to pony up extra mitigation cash for the town, however in the end Wu capitulated to Kraft, who just some weeks in the past was the topic of Trump’s admiration and has known as the Republican president misunderstood and a very good man.
“Individuals who don’t know him don’t see the higher facet,” Kraft stated of Trump in 2017. “I actually consider he desires to make this nation higher…
“I wish to do every little thing I can to assist him assist this nation.”
Kraft’s spouse, Dr. Dana Blumberg, was appointed to the Kennedy Heart for the Performing Arts board of trustees by Trump and supported the renaming of the cultural establishment to the Trump-Kennedy Heart.
Kraft attended a gathering of Trump supporters and the president in Palm Seashore when the title change was introduced.
Throughout her mayoral marketing campaign towards Kraft — earlier than he dropped out — Wu known as on him to return contributions from a regulation agency linked to President Trump, saying Kraft’s marketing campaign was “propped up by billionaires, Trump donors, and attorneys engaged in implementing Donald Trump’s anti-Boston agenda.”
“Wu might have delayed the stadium challenge for months longer, probably even killing it. However maybe she was involved it could seem like political retribution if she had taken a agency stand towards it.
Now, Kraft has his soccer stadium — pending closing approvals. And he doesn’t have Wu standing in his approach.
