{"id":5700,"date":"2024-10-14T17:56:09","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T17:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherin.com\/real-estate\/?p=5700"},"modified":"2024-11-21T17:13:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T17:13:05","slug":"the-new-england-revs-stymied-by-designated-port-area-restrictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sherin.com\/real-estate\/2024\/10\/14\/the-new-england-revs-stymied-by-designated-port-area-restrictions\/","title":{"rendered":"The New England Revs Stymied by Designated Port Area Restrictions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gillette Stadium is widely known as the home of six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. The Patriots, owned by The Kraft Group\u2014a major player in sports and entertainment\u2014began playing at Gillette upon completion of the Stadium in 2002. The Stadium opened on May 11, 2002, though not for a football game. Rather, on that day it was a Major League Soccer team\u2014the New England Revolution\u2014 who ceremoniously cut the ribbon for their 2-0 victory against FC Dallas. The New England Revolution\u2014the Revs<\/em>\u2014are also owned by The Kraft Group.<\/p>\n

Since 2006, The Kraft Group\u2019s Founder, Chairman and CEO, Robert Kraft, has looked to find the Revs their own home, but to no avail. Kraft would prefer that the Revs play in a stadium built specifically for soccer and that it be located nearer to its primary fan base in Greater Boston. Most recently, Kraft sought approval to develop a 43.11-acre parcel of land near the Mystic River in Everett for the Revs\u2019 new stadium. Unique to Kraft\u2019s proposed Everett development\u2014in addition to the typical complexities of a large development\u2014is the subject parcel\u2019s classification by CZM, described below, as a Designated Port Area<\/em>. If not removed, this classification effectively blocks the new stadium.<\/p>\n

There was a glimmer of hope for Kraft during Massachusetts\u2019 2024 legislative session: the State Senate unanimously approved an amendment to a larger economic development bill that would have carved out the proposed stadium site from Everett\u2019s Designated Port Area, thereby removing this obstacle affecting the new stadium. Notably, the legislation would not have altered the remaining portions of land subject to the designation. Yet, despite its support in the Senate, the economic bill failed in conference committee when the House and Senate versions of the bill could not be reconciled.<\/p>\n

But what is a Designated Port Area, anyway?
\n<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Designated Port Areas (\u201cDPA<\/u>\u201d or \u201cDPAs<\/u>\u201d) are identified by 301 CMR 25.00 as:<\/p>\n

Geographic areas of particular state, regional, and national significance with respect to the promotion of commercial fishing, shipping, and other vessel-related activities associated with water-borne commerce and the promotion of manufacturing, processing, and production activities reliant upon marine transportation or the withdrawal or discharge of large volumes of water.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

DPAs are administered by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, which implements DPA policy, reviews master plans, and establishes and periodically reviews DPA boundaries.[2]<\/a> Currently, there are eleven DPAs in Massachusetts, including the proposed Mystic River stadium site. DPA designations are intended to protect water-dependent industrial uses on land (or water) that are well situated to facilitate certain operations deemed \u201csignificant.\u201d Such uses generally require infrastructure sharing three specifications:<\/p>\n