The progressive face of the Democratic Occasion, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, simply handed a giant victory to the type of particular person she has repeatedly bashed — a billionaire sports activities workforce proprietor who’s friends with President Donald Trump.
Ultimately, Robert Kraft, proprietor of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, obtained what he wished — an enormous stadium challenge on an industrial website in Everett for his soccer workforce — as a result of Wu allowed it.
Wu and the Kraft Group reached a deal that can deliver $48 million to the town over the subsequent 15 years, thanks principally 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 supplied by Kraft to Boston was by no means a critical provide — 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 mentioned 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 in opposition to 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 truth didn’t cease Wu from blocking the stadium.
She did power Kraft to pony up extra mitigation cash for the town, however finally Wu capitulated to Kraft, who only a few 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 mentioned of Trump in 2017. “I actually consider he needs to make this nation higher…
“I need to do all the pieces 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 Seaside when the identify change was introduced.
Throughout her mayoral marketing campaign in opposition to 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 may have delayed the stadium challenge for months longer, presumably even killing it. However maybe she was involved it might appear like political retribution if she had taken a agency stand in opposition to it.
Now, Kraft has his soccer stadium — pending closing approvals. And he doesn’t have Wu standing in his approach.
