World Cup less than 100 days away but Foxboro not budging on security costs: "This has been going on for months"
The World Cup is less than 100 days away and soccer fans are excited for the matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts this summer.
However, there are still unanswered questions about who will be covering millions in security costs, especially with new concerns over the war in the Middle East.
Foxboro's select board seemed in a state of disbelief Tuesday night that after more than a year of planning, and a tense exchange with local soccer leaders two weeks ago, they still don't have the $7.8 million they need to pay for World Cup security.
Seven games are set to be played at the so-called "Boston Stadium" in June and July and Foxboro refuses to front the cash needed to buy equipment and pay police officers and firefighters over a span of 39 days.
FIFA needs an entertainment license from the town to use the stadium, and the select board said unless they have the funds in two weeks - they won't grant it.
"This has been going on for months, months," said board member Mark Elfman.
Boston 2026, the local partner for FIFA, brought their attorneys to make a presentation to the board Tuesday.
"All of the equipment that the chiefs have said they need will be there and available by June 1," said Boston 2026 attorney Gary Ronan.
"Waiting until June 1 is unacceptable. We are 99 or 100 days away from hosting the largest sporting event in the world. That strategy is a failed strategy," said Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace.
Ronan claims if the federal funding were to fall through, Boston 2026 will cover the costs with help from the Kraft Sports Group within two days after each event.
"If you don't get paid you can terminate the license. The next soccer game doesn't happen until you get paid, if that's what you decide to do," Ronan told the board.
The select board said those sorts of "game-time decisions" impacting hundreds of thousands of people, would not be acceptable. And now days into a war with Iran, CBS News Boston asked the select board chair whether these anticipated security needs would be even more involved.
"Our chiefs are monitoring that on a daily basis, and everything is evolving and we know that," said board chair Bill Yukna. "That's kind of some of the stuff that we've put into the license agreement that if things do evolve, that we are able to make the adjustments that we need to make."
The deadline for the entertainment license is March 17, when the select board has its next meeting. Yukna said he does not want town departments spending any more time on the World Cup until a true plan for compensation is presented.
