Portland waterfront workers question zoning change for Hearts of Pine stadium

Portland waterfront workers are organizing against a zoning change tied to the proposed Hearts of Pine soccer stadium at Cassidy Point. The dispute follows an Aug. 4 unveiling of a $50 million stadium plan and workers’ concerns about losing industrial waterfront property and future jobs. The team says it has an agreement with Sprague Energy to purchase about 8 acres at the western edge of Commercial Street along the Fore River, including a commercial pier, warehouses and a coal pile; no sale price has been disclosed. The team needs the city to approve a zoning change for a 9,000–11,000-seat stadium, beginning with an Aug. 27 neighborhood meeting. The International Longshoremen’s Association says removing maritime use is an “existential issue,” while the Maine Port Authority says waterfront facilities should be preserved for marine use. The team says it will retain the 600-foot Sprague pier and is consulting stakeholders.