Hearts of Pine stadium

East End Community School coordinator and parent described the transformative impact of the Portland Soccer Project on students and urged support for a permanent stadium home.

A 50-year seafood industry veteran and season ticket holder said he walked and boated the site and fully supports the stadium, calling the area unchanged in years.

The city's former waterfront coordinator opposed the rezoning, arguing Cassidy Point is an active industrial facility and that displacing marine use with non-marine use contradicts 40 years of waterfront policy and public investment in the dredged channel and intermodal infrastructure.

Neal Street resident spoke in support, tying the project to Portland's Plan 2030 vision pillars and describing the community energy around matches.

Local design studio owner praised the club's commitment to hiring local artists and designers and its accessibility for families without cars.

An architect and Wright-Ryan builder described the match-day foot traffic and economic spillover onto Portland streets and businesses.

Conservation Law Foundation attorney called it one of the most exciting community-oriented brownfield projects he'd seen and praised the public access it would create.

West End resident and three-generation season ticket family urged support so the club stays rooted in Portland.

Retired Coast Guard officer and port regulatory consultant opposed the rezoning, arguing the land use code protects Cassidy Point for maritime use and that losing it would be short-sighted and irreversible.

Returned to support the rezoning but pressed the applicant on how the site stays active the rest of the year when no games are played.

Former Greater Portland and Maine State Chamber president supported the project, arguing Maine's economy requires creative new uses for obsolete industrial land.

Libbytown parent of a Portland High soccer and track athlete supported the stadium and noted Fitzpatrick Stadium returning to full school and youth use.

Season ticket holder urged support, citing the club's economic role and the 8,000-person season ticket waitlist.

Marine scientist and former deputy harbor master opposed the rezoning, warning that marine terminal infrastructure, once converted, can never be recreated, and raised safety concerns about mixing public access with active marine operations.

Longshoreman and ILA representative opposed the rezoning, arguing a pier without backup land is inoperable, like an airport without a terminal, and urged a broader stakeholder process like the 1990s waterfront rezoning.

Maine Port Authority executive director opposed the rezoning, citing a century of state and city commitment to working waterfront protections, $3.8 billion in port trade versus the club's $16.5 million impact, and the $120 million public investment behind the container terminal.

Club president responded to year-round-activity concerns, pledging offices, youth clinics, community festivals, and year-round public access rather than hotels.

A former planning board member and lifelong waterfront advocate said the crux is simple: whether to give up a piece of the working waterfront, which once lost cannot be recovered.

Westbrook fan and youth soccer parent urged support for the community the club has built.

Portland Longshoremen's Association president said the waterfront is growing and needs the space; changing the zone now is the wrong move.

Great Diamond Island resident supported the rezoning, arguing the site is an underutilized brownfield tied to dying industries and not a true displacement of working waterfront.

Former city planning division director who helped write the waterfront zoning opposed the rezone, saying economic arguments always favor mixed use, which is exactly why protective zoning exists.