Why Boston’s plan to renovate White Stadium is controversial

Many opponents fear the public would lose access to White Stadium and the critical green space where it sits, if the city teams up with a corporate entity.

As the quarterback for the storied Boston Latin Academy, Jack Shapiro has long relished playing some of his high school games at historic White Stadium.

But this season, the closest Shapiro will get to the 75-year-old stadium is a grassy practice field in the shadows of the 10,000-seat facility. The stadium gates are padlocked most days in anticipation of the dilapidated stadium being renovated. In its place will be a glistening, $200 million sports facility for Boston’s new professional women’s soccer team, BOS Nation FC, starting in 2026.