Autumn in the North Cemetery.

Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?



These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.


Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...

...seems to be working so far

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Indirect Effect

Just how would a casino in Brimfield affect us?  Well, it wouldn't affect us directly, except for the bump in traffic along I-84, and the Pike.  Restaurants, and shops won't feel an explosion in business unless folks that are going to the casino plan on doing some exploring before hand.  This would be doubtful since besides the destination, there is little else on the mind of a car full of people en route to a casino other than the casino.  After a visit to the slots, they, or their bank account may not be in the mood to stop by Old Sturbridge Village, either.

All the effects would all be indirect, but substantial.

One way a casinos presence next door in Brimfield would indirectly benefit the communities around it would be in the real estate market, and in businesses that would be in place, or come into place, to support a bump in population.  Home prices would naturally rise due to the demand for roofs over the heads of the workers that would build the facility, and those that will work there after it is built.  The current inventory of homes, and apartments, in the immediate area would soon be exhausted thus stimulating new construction.  Businesses that are  in place to support the construction would flourish.

A bump up in the areas population would spur businesses to support that bump.  Supermarkets would expand, and new ones built.  Roads repaired.  More banks would be built.  Pharmacies would be built.  Large childcare facilities would be attracted to an area with a sudden rise in population.  The areas support services such as fire and police would need to be adjusted.  Brimfield itself would see those departments grow, and of course, a deal with the casino owners would help with new equipment in town, and on the site of the casino.

More people, and more businesses would mean more taxes raised in area communities.  That will make any a town administrator smile.

All in all, a casino will take a long dormant economy in Central Mass, and give it a needed shot of B-12.  Once under its influence, it will be up to the nearby communities to insure the effect does not wear off before they accomplish the things that have been on their wish list, and start the things they will need to add.

This will most definitely be the shot in the arm we have dreamed of.  We may not always like the way our medicine is given, but most often we are happy with the results.

Scribbled by on

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousWednesday, February 01, 2012

    agreed with you 100 %
    last week there was an opinion in the Sturbridge Villager from a lady who opposed the Casino in Brimfield. I found out interesting that she lived in Palmer who is also competing with Brimfield to have the casino built there instead.

    ReplyDelete



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