Boston plans to renovate a crumbling stadium for its new women's soccer team. Not everyone is happy

BOSTON (AP) — 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.

“We’re all a little disappointed not to have our home this year,” said Shapiro, quarterback and safety for the high school team which was forced to play its home games in West Roxbury, a 45-minute bus ride from school. The city’s school system will have access to the new facility, but Boston Latin and another school will play elsewhere.

The team said it is still hopeful of playing some games at the new stadium but that remains far from certain.

The city has said that Latin and another high school team, which rely on White Stadium for home games, will have to play elsewhere due to potential damage to the playing surface from cleats. But they have promised that all city schools could play end-of-season games, including championship games, there.

“The biggest worry is that we will be blocked out,” the team's coach, Rocco Zizza, said as he stood outside the stadium. “In many ways, what is behind us will not only be a monument for high school football but also maybe a tombstone.”

Shapiro and his team are part of the growing opposition to the joint venture that includes preservationists, environmentalists and neighborhood activists.

Many opponents fear the public would lose access to the stadium, and the critical green space where it sits, if the city teams up with a corporate entity. Supporters argue their plan is the best hope to bringing women's professional soccer to Boston and providing new equipment and facilities for the city's cash-strapped school system.

Surrounded by some of the most diverse and impoverished neighborhoods, White Stadium has long been a refuge for residents to take morning walks, play high school sports, see concerts, attend rallies or send their children to summer camps. The nearly 530-acre (214.48-hectare) Franklin Park, which is also home to the Franklin Park Zoo, is part of the Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace system of parks in the city.

Louis Elisa, who lives across the street from the park and is party to the lawsuit attempting to halt the project, said the project will cause “enormous harm to the environment and the community.”

The lawsuit argues the process to approve the project was rushed without adequate community input and violates the state constitution by transferring public land for a private use. Opponents also argue the thousands of fans attending BOS Nation FC games would overwhelm the park and cause widespread traffic and noise problems to nearby neighborhoods.

Instead, they are pushing for repairing the stadium for students at a cost of less than $20 million.

“The changes that they want to make is going to destroy the antiquities of the park, going to change the character of the park,” said Elisa, president of the Garrison-Trotter Neighborhood Association.

Supporters, led by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, argue the partnership is the only way to fund much-needed renovations and would bring positive change to the neighborhood and the students who rely on facility. Repeated efforts in recent decades to repair the stadium have faltered over a lack of funds, design concerns and neighborhood opposition.

The stadium will be controlled by the city’s schools but the cost of operating and maintaining it will be the team's responsibility.

“The stadium has been in bad need of repairs and renovation for a very long time. You can see the track is crumbling, the facilities aren't up to state standards. Our young people deserve better,” Wu said, adding that the project aligns with the purpose of the park which has areas of urban wilds meant for quiet enjoyment and other parts like the stadium that “were meant to draw people in.”

“This will revitalize the mission that we've always had for White Stadium to be a hub for our young people, for our student athletes and the community around them,” she continued.

Jennifer Epstein, the controlling owner of the team which will play in the National Women’s Soccer League, said the stadium project allows for the team to “play in the heart of the city” and forge a closer ties to the school system and the community.

She estimated the new stadium will offer tens of thousands of students three times more programming than they get now, and double the access for the community. It would also be one of the few stadiums built specifically for professional women's soccer — the New England Revolution, the men's team, is moving forward on a new Boston-based facility of their own.

“This public-private-community partnership is really exciting and it's going to turn White Stadium into a top tier professional stadium,” Epstein said. “It will be a real thrill for everyone to be there.”

The debate over the stadium has played out at scores of meeting and hundreds of conversations over the past 17 months. So far, supporters have won every round of the permitting process and the city is hoping to sign a lease in the coming weeks and for demolition to start soon after.

But lately, supporters have run into unexpected challenges.

Wu acknowledged this week that the city's price tag for the renovation — the cost are being split evenly between the team and the city — has nearly doubled to $91 million due to design changes and rising construction costs.

On Tuesday, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn came out against the proposal, citing the growing costs. Another council member, Erin Murphy, plans to request a hearing on the stadium proposal.

“We should cancel this proposal immediately and work together with residents and stakeholders across the city to provide the best option not only for our city and supporting a professional women’s soccer team, but one that incorporates the voice of our residents and student athletes as well,” Flynn said in a statement.

Time is also an issue, with supporters warning in court documents that any delays to the March trial on the lawsuit puts the project at risk. Supporters are optimistic the lawsuit will eventually be dismissed.

The team is also seeking input on the team name after its “Too Many Balls” marketing campaign launched in October was criticized as transphobic. In a blog post, the team said it has launched a process to “seek out, listen to, and reflect on input about our team name.”

Opponents, who say they want a professional women's team but not in Franklin Park, nevertheless are relishing the latest bout of bad publicity.

“We are more confident than ever that Franklin Park will be protected from their scheme to turn this historic parkland into a colossal sports and entertainment complex.” Renee Stacy Welsh, a member of the Franklin Park Defenders, which opposes the project, said in a statement.

Renee Stacey Welch, front left, addresses a crowd during a rally held to save White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

People display placards during a rally held to save White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Carla-Lisa Caliga, of Boston, front left, joins with others displaying placards during a rally held to save White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Carla-Lisa Caliga, of Boston, right, approaches a car in an intersection during a rally held to save White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Students from a Boston Latin School physical education class run on the track at White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Two wild turkeys trot outsides White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Students from a Boston Latin School physical education class cool down after running on the track at White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A football player sculpture is shown on the vintage facade of White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)p

Boston Latin football coach Rocco Zizza, center, watches his team practice on the field outisde White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Latin football coach Rocco Zizza, center, watches his team practice on the field outisde White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

People display placards during a rally held to save White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

A sign marking an entrance to White Stadium hangs near an open gate at the stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Students from a Boston Latin School physical education class run on the track at White Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Franklin Park in Boston. A plan to renovate the aging stadium in Boston for a professional women's soccer team has sparked controversy over concerns it will displace some youth sports and limit access to a public park in one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A person rides a bicycle past White Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sluggish December hiring concluded a year of weak employment gains that have frustrated job seekers even though layoffs and unemployment have remained low.

Employers added just 50,000 jobs last month, nearly unchanged from a downwardly revised figure of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.4%, its first decline since June, from 4.5% in November, a figure also revised lower.

The data suggests that businesses are reluctant to add workers even as economic growth has picked up. Many companies hired aggressively after the pandemic and no longer need to fill more jobs. Others have held back due to widespread uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policies, elevated inflation, and the spread of artificial intelligence, which could alter or even replace some jobs.

Still, economists were encouraged by the drop in the unemployment rate, which had risen in the previous four straight reports. It had also alarmed officials at the Federal Reserve, prompting three cuts to the central bank's key interest rate last year. The decline lowered the odds of another rate reduction in January, economists said.

“The labor market looks to have stabilized, but at a slower pace of employment growth,” Blerina Uruci, chief economist at T. Rowe Price, said. There is no urgency for the Fed to cut rates further, for now."

Some Federal Reserve officials are concerned that inflation remains above their target of 2% annual growth, and hasn't improved since 2024. They support keeping rates where they are to combat inflation. Others, however, are more worried that hiring has nearly ground to a halt and have supported lowering borrowing costs to spur spending and growth.

November's job gain was revised slightly lower, from 64,000 to 56,000, while October's now shows a much steeper drop, with a loss of 173,000 positions, down from previous estimates of a 105,000 decline. The government revises the jobs figures as it receives more survey responses from businesses.

The economy has now lost an average of 22,000 jobs a month in the past three months, the government said. A year ago, in December 2024, it had gained 209,000 a month. Most of those losses reflect the purge of government workers by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

Nearly all the jobs added in December were in the health care and restaurant and hotel industries. Health care added 38,500 jobs, while restaurants and hotels gained 47,000. Governments — mostly at the state and local level — added 13,000.

Manufacturing, construction and retail companies all shed jobs. Retailers cut 25,000 positions, a sign that holiday hiring has been weaker than previous years. Manufacturers have shed jobs every month since April, when Trump announced sweeping tariffs intended to boost manufacturing.

Wall Street and Washington are looking closely at Friday's report as it's the first clean reading on the labor market in three months. The government didn’t issue a report in October because of the six-week government shutdown, and November’s data was distorted by the closure, which lasted until Nov. 12.

The hiring slowdown reflects more than just a reluctance by companies to add jobs. With an aging population and a sharp drop in immigration, the economy doesn't need to create as many jobs as it has in the past to keep the unemployment rate steady. As a result, a gain of 50,000 jobs is not as clear a sign of weakness as it would have been in previous years.

And layoffs are still low, a sign firms aren't rapidly cutting jobs, as typically happens in a recession. The “low-hire, low-fire” job market does mean current workers have some job security, though those without jobs can have a tougher time.

Ernesto Castro, 44, has applied for hundreds of jobs since leaving his last in May. Yet the Los Angeles resident has gotten just three initial interviews, and only one follow-up, after which he heard nothing.

With nearly a decade of experience providing customer support for software companies, Castro expected to find a new job pretty quickly as he did in 2024.

“I should be in a good position,” Castro said. “It’s been awful.”

He worries that more companies are turning to artificial intelligence to help clients learn to use new software. He hears ads from tech companies that urge companies to slash workers that provide the kind of services he has in his previous jobs. His contacts in the industry say that employees are increasingly reluctant to switch jobs amid all the uncertainty, which leaves fewer open jobs for others.

He is now looking into starting his own software company, and is also exploring project management roles.

December’s report caps a year of sluggish hiring, particularly after April's “liberation day” tariff announcement by Trump. The economy generated an average of 111,000 jobs a month in the first three months of 2025. But that pace dropped to just 11,000 in the three months ended in August, before rebounding slightly to 22,000 in November.

Last year, the economy gained just 584,000 jobs, sharply lower than that more than 2 million added in 2024. It's the smallest annual gain since the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the job market in 2020.

Subdued hiring underscores a key conundrum surrounding the economy as it enters 2026: Growth has picked up to healthy levels, yet hiring has weakened noticeably and the unemployment rate has increased in the last four jobs reports.

Most economists expect hiring will accelerate this year as growth remains solid, and Trump's tax cut legislation is expected to produce large tax refunds this spring. Yet economists acknowledge there are other possibilities: Weak job gains could drag down future growth. Or the economy could keep expanding at a healthy clip, while automation and the spread of artificial intelligence reduces the need for more jobs.

Productivity, or output per hour worked, a measure of worker efficiency, has improved in the past three years and jumped nearly 5% in the July-September quarter. That means companies can produce more without adding jobs. Over time, it should also boost worker pay.

Even with such sluggish job gains, the economy has continued to expand, with growth reaching a 4.3% annual rate in last year's July-September quarter, the best in two years. Strong consumer spending helped drive the gain. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta forecasts that growth could slow to a still-solid 2.7% in the final three months of last year.

FILE - A hiring sign is displayed at a grocery store in Northbrook, Ill., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)