Gillette Stadium, MBTA will get World Cup preview with Brazil vs. France friendly
It's full steam ahead for Foxboro, Massachusetts and Greater Boston as officials and businesses prepare for a preview of what's to come ahead of the World Cup.
Gillette Stadium is set to host tens of thousands of fans Thursday afternoon for an international soccer friendly between Brazil and France, offering a test run for logistics, transportation and public safety planning.
At a joint hearing of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees, Massachusetts public safety officials told lawmakers they are ready, with $46 million in federal funding now secured to support an increased law enforcement presence through the World Cup.
"I think this is something we are really good at in Massachusetts, the same framework is applied to the marathon, to July 4th," said Gina Kwon, the state's Secretary of Public Safety and Security.
Patriot Place ready for influx of visitors
Around Patriot Place, businesses are also gearing up for the influx of visitors.
"It's kind of like our little prelim," said Nicolas Perreault, restaurant manager at Citizen Crust.
Perreault says his staff have also been preparing for months, excited for what could be a busy spring and summer.
"Getting a bunch of ideas ready for how we can wow the guests up here," he added. "There's going to a lot of people coming in from around the country and more importantly around the world, so we want to show them Foxboro the right way."
World Cup test run for MBTA
Transportation will also play a key role, with the MBTA preparing to move thousands of fans to and from the stadium.
Officials say Thursday's match will serve as a test run for World Cup operations, when up to 20,000 riders are expected to use event trains for every game.
"We're going to use this opportunity Thursday night to test out some different operating plans that we're going to deploy this summer," said MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan.
Coholan said the agency will run four dedicated event trains from South Station to Foxboro, with thousands of $30 round-trip tickets already selling on the mTicket app. Coholan says the agency will also evaluate how regular commuters could be affected later this year.
"It's going to be a busy summer, and the World Cup is certainly going to put a lot of pressures on our system," he said. "We are working really hard to develop what those schedules are going to look like."
Officials are urging fans to take public transit, pointing to the price of parking and likely traffic congestion through the city and Route 1.
"Nobody wants to sit in Route 1 traffic on Patriots game day, this is no exception," Coholan said. "Use the train, it's right there, it's available."
"It's really brought a genuine buzz within the MBTA. Whether you work on the Commuter Rail system, whether you work in the subway system, or even drive a bus, there's a real excitement building within the MBTA so that we can deliver the service something to be proud of," Coholan added.
