FOXBOROUGH — The Revolution broke ground on their $35 million training facility Monday morning, and the one comment that stood out came from owner/investor Jonathan Kraft.
Standing alongside his father, Robert Kraft, as well as Revs president Brian Bilello and general manager Michael Burns, the younger Kraft said, “Hopefully this is the first of two great ground-breakings.”
“Well said,” said Robert Kraft.
Kraft's comment referred to the long-awaited hope of Revolution supporters all throughout the six-state region: the long-promised soccer-specific stadium for the club in the city of Boston.
"To have all this space to work with," he said, "this will really probably just be the first phase of our training complex. We'll be able to (be) adding to it as the needs of the team and the sport demand. So we're really excited."
The town of Foxborough approved the club’s request for a zoning variance back in May, which would transform a number of acres -- upward of 30,000 square feet -- to the south of Gillette Stadium into dedicated training facilities for not only the Revolution’s first team, but for the Academy programs as well.
In addition, Burns’ office will move from the northeast corner of Gillette to the training facility. Ticketing, sponsorship sales, and marketing will remain in the offices near the Lighthouse Tunnel and the Patriots Pro Shop.
“The plan, hopefully if the New England winter will cooperate, will be the shell of the building will be constructed before the first snowfall,” Burns said. “The first phase will be the building and the two grass fields (for the first team). Second phase will be the turf field which will be later in ’19. If the weather cooperates, the fields will be playable in May, and the players and the coaches and staff will be able to move in in July and August. That’s the tentative plan, if we have a mild or normal winter.”
The existing training pitch, which sits on a winding road leading from the south plaza of Patriot Place and Gillette, will be used by the Academy once the two new grass fields, which will sit to the south of the new building, are up and ready. A new turf field will also be built on the western side of the new development.
A proposed fifth field, which was included in the original renderings, has been eliminated from the final design.
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