Don’t Be Fooled: The Fairgrounds Website Just Posted Developer-Funded “Studies” — And They Ignore the Most Important Questions

By: Leominster Watch

Filed under: Big Picture

After more than a month of mounting pressure and public skepticism, the developers behind the Fairgrounds project have finally posted a few glossy documents to their website — including a traffic summary, a so-called “economic impact analysis,” and a briefing memo aimed at City Council.

Let’s be clear from the start:

These are not independent studies!
They are not neutral.
They are not for the people of Leominster.

They were written by the developers, for the developers — crafted to sell a project that’s already being rejected by more and more residents who see through the pitch.

What We’ve Been Asking for Since Day One

From the very beginning, residents have asked for independent, third-party analysis — not marketing fluff. We’ve asked for real data and real accountability on:

  • The actual economic impact of bringing in a gambling-focused venue
  • Traffic mitigation — especially for a site that relies entirely on local roads to access a capped landfill
  • Most critically: the environmental risks of building over a contaminated site that still contains unremediated toxic landfill waste

Instead, we’re handed self-serving PDFs that pretend to answer questions but really just avoid them.

It’s not just disappointing — It’s insulting.

No Environmental Impact Study. No Responsibility.

Remember: the developers met privately with the DEP in October 2024 to discuss relocating toxic fill and leveling the dump site. But their public-facing “studies” say nothing about that.

  1. Where’s the plan to protect groundwater from leachate?
  2. Where’s the commitment to long-term monitoring?
  3. Where’s the risk assessment for digging into a capped landfill to install a racetrack, apartments, restaurants, and a sportsbook?

These documents dodge the very issue that should stop this project in its tracks.

❗ Two Big Questions That Still Need Answers:

  1. Who’s paying for the real, independent studies this city deserves?
    If Baystate wants to build here, they should be footing the bill for independent third-party environmental, economic, and infrastructure reviews — not the taxpayers of Leominster.
  2. Why hasn’t the city required these studies before letting this project even be considered?
    Residents shouldn’t have to play detective while the developers play Monopoly. Every time push comes to shove, they say, “we’ll get them” or “we’ll discuss offline”. Now they’re trying to serve us manure they trucked in and expecting us to just say “thank you”? Nope! That’s not how this works @ Baystate / Whitney & Co.

⚠️ If Their Plan Was So Strong, Why Hide Behind PR?

The traffic “study” assumes just six race days a year. The economic forecast is full of promises with no evidence. And the documents conveniently ignore the long-term effects of year-round gambling activity, event operations, and (supposed) apartment traffic.

These are not answers — they’re a distraction.

Leominster deserves facts, accountability, and protection — not another flashy sales pitch

Let’s keep demanding better.