The New England Patriots on Monday sued Foxborough, Mass.—the town where their team facilities and Gilette Stadium are located—accusing town leaders of illegally scheming to raise what should be a $100 entertainment license renewal fee for Gillette Stadium into a bill of nearly $1 million.
The Patriots—joined by Kraft Sports and Entertainment and the New England Revolution—filed their complaint in a state trial court. They are represented by Charles Solomont and other attorneys from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
The team demands a court-issued declaration stating either that the town’s demands are “legally inoperative and uncollectible” or that the town must renew the stadium’s license without financial conditions that, the Patriots claim, exceed the town’s authority under state law.
The Patriots have played in Foxborough since 1971, first in Foxboro Stadium and, since 2002, in Gillette. As the Patriots point out in their complaint, Gillette is one of only three NFL stadiums—the other two being SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium—to be built and maintained exclusively with private funds.
Key to the lawsuit is Section 183A of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140. Section 183A states that any fee for “any” entertainment license, including renewal, “shall not exceed one hundred dollars.”
