Located along Route 1 in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Gillette Stadium is a hulking tribute to the championship era of the New England Patriots. It opened with a Super Bowl banner, and as Lombardi Trophies migrated to One Patriot Place, the spoils of success propped up around a stadium that became synonymous with winning. A shopping and events center turned a little-known section of the region into an entertainment destination, all while the tradition of winning stood at the epicenter of its construction.
Seeing the stadium appear along that stretch of road makes it easy to forget how the Patriots and owner Robert Kraft once nearly moved the team out of Massachusetts.