Massachusetts: $25M equine center project in Sturbridge includes wagering

The construction of a $25 million equine center with horseracing and sports betting has been proposed on the east side of Interstate 84 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The project is being pushed by a team led by longtime racehorse owner and businessman Armand Janjigian.

Called the Sturbridge Agricultural and Equestrian Center, the proposed project would include a mile dirt track and seven-eights mile turf track on 223 acres on Cross and Breakneck roads, reports Telegram & Gazette.

The equine center would bring horse racing and sports betting to the town, in Worcester County, but is also set to include restaurants, a community center, athletic fields, walking and education trails, and conference space. In-person and online sports betting are both being contemplated, as well as the possibility to host festivals and musical performances. Races are slated to take place 10-12 days a year.

While presenting the project before the town, Janjigian’s team estimated the facility would create roughly 100 local jobs, according to Worcester Business Journal. However, in order for this to happen, the equine center would require the state of Massachusetts to legalize sports betting in the state to be financially stable.

There currently is an effort to pass said legislation underway, although it still remains unclear whether the proposed bill will secure passing in the Massachusetts Senate. Moreover, the proposed horse center needs to pass checkpoints including public hearings, addition approvals from selectmen, and zoning-related approvals from voters at Town Meeting.

Janjigian’s team predicts about $1 million in annual revenue and benefits to the town and, according to the businessman, support from both the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association has been secured.

The next step in advancing the project is holding public hearings, slated for Sept. 12 and Sept. 28, before the proposal heads to special town meeting. Town Administrator Jeffrey K. Bridges Jr. said the proposal is an interesting one, featuring both pros and cons, further reports Telegram & Gazette.

“I’m sure they heard support and concern throughout the community and it’s really going to come down to addressing those concerns and people understanding what this is an what this is not,” said Bridges. “It’s not a casino, there are no gaming tables, there are no slot machines. As the applicant said, it’s 10 races a year, plus a series of community events that the town is able to coordinate with them.”

Addressing traffic concerns, the applicant has made the proposal with no Sturbridge access to the site: the access point would be through a rest area on 84, meaning there would be no local access to the site for the patrons visiting the facility.