Proposed entertainment hub draws strong opinions from locals
LEOMINSTER — A proposed entertainment hub that would include live horse racing and sports betting is drawing strong opinions from locals.
Baystate Racing and local developer Whitney Companies recently unveiled their plan to transform 42 acres of land on Mechanic Street — occupied by a capped landfill and the Crossroads Office Park — into The Fairgrounds, a $40-million project that they say is designed to drive economic growth and create new community engagement opportunities throughout the region.
Baystate Racing and local developer Whitney Companies recently unveiled their plan to transform 42 acres of capped landfill and Crossroads Office Park on Mechanic Street in Leominster into The Fairgrounds, a proposed $40 million project that will include live horse racing and sports betting. (COURTESY DAVID M. SCHWARZ ARCHITECTS)
Baystate Racing and local developer Whitney Companies recently unveiled their plan to transform 42 acres of capped landfill and Crossroads Office Park on Mechanic Street in Leominster into The Fairgrounds, a proposed $40 million project that will include live horse racing and sports betting. (COURTESY DAVID M. SCHWARZ ARCHITECTS)
An informational meeting held on Feb. 18 at Frances Drake Elementary School drew more than the land neighbors it was intended for. Posts about the ‘Mechanic Street Landfill Revitalization Proposal’ meeting in the Facebook community pages brought comments, most commonly citing pros as revenue, jobs, and entertainment, and cons as increased traffic, the negativity associated with the horse racing industry, the fact that both Gardner and Lancaster rejected the same idea area towns including Gardner and Lancaster rejecting the same idea – of the project.
One woman who lives across the street from the proposed site and has “been in the horse industry for 63 years” commented that “this will be more that just a race track…a venue for many activities.”
“Access will not be on Mechanic Street, but on the highway connector,” she wrote. “It will be a great informational presentation/meeting, an awesome project and has my support.”
Another woman commented “I don’t trust these people at all” and many others expressed concerns, including one person who penned “this will impact the whole community, not just us abutters.”
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According to Baystate Racing, The Fairgrounds project highlights including hosting six horse-racing days over two weekends per year, creating an exciting festival-style experience; a sports bar for live game viewings, premium dining, and sports betting opportunities; year-rounds events such as fairs and festivals to foster community engagement; a horse therapy program promoting mental health and well-being; a full-service restaurant and viewing deck with panoramic views of ongoing events; and a community event space available for gatherings.
In addition to enhancing entertainment options, Baystate said that The Fairgrounds will generate over 350 jobs including 200 construction jobs, 100 part-time positions, and 60 full-time roles, and that the development is expected to contribute over $1 million in annual revenue for Leominster.
They went on to say that the entrance to The Fairgrounds would be directly off the Leominster Connector, ensuring smooth traffic flow and accessibility for visitors. Additionally, further traffic studies are planned to address and mitigate any potential concerns in the area as well as removing all existing traffic from the current office park.
Baystate Racing and local developer Whitney Companies recently unveiled their plan to transform 42 acres of capped landfill and Crossroads Office Park on Mechanic Street in Leominster into The Fairgrounds, a proposed $40 million project that will include live horse racing and sports betting. (COURTESY DAVID M. SCHWARZ ARCHITECTS)
Baystate Racing and local developer Whitney Companies recently unveiled their plan to transform 42 acres of capped landfill and Crossroads Office Park on Mechanic Street in Leominster into The Fairgrounds, a proposed $40 million project that will include live horse racing and sports betting. (COURTESY DAVID M. SCHWARZ ARCHITECTS)
Community members expressed enthusiasm while raising concerns about traffic and engineering at the informational meeting. Whitney Companies Construction Manager and shareholder Jim Whitney, the lead developer on the project, said that they “appreciate the community’s engagement at the recent informational meeting.”
“We understand concerns about traffic and engineering and are committed to addressing them,” he said. “The Fairgrounds will bring jobs, economic growth, and a vibrant gathering space for Leominster. We welcome continued dialogue to ensure this project benefits the entire community.”
One man who has been especially outspoken against the project posted an informal poll in the Leominsterites Unite Facebook page the day after the meeting asking how many are in favor of the horse track and how many are against it, instructing people to react thumbs up for yes or angry emoji for no – a large majority, three times as many, hit the angry emoji button.
A change.org petition titled ‘Stop Bay State Racing LLC Racetrack from Horse Racing and Off-Track Betting in Leominster’ is making the rounds and as of press time, there were close to 700 signatures on it.
Mayor Dean Mazzarella announced that he will have project representatives as guests on his show “Inside Leominster” on March 6.
“As elected officials, one of our functions is to totally understand the project and share the correct information,” he said last week. “That is what my goal is, a properly informed community.”
