Nice Spin. But the Public Isn’t Buying It.

Yesterday early evening, dozens of residents once again filed into a City Hall council meeting to raise serious concerns about the Fairgrounds proposal after their Host Community Agreement (HCA) draft was submitted for acknowledgement. What was again noticeable? ZERO visible support in sight!

Baystate Racing appears to be feeling the heat. In a second, selectively mailed flyer, the developers have pivoted from overselling to oversensitivity — crying foul over public criticism, playing victim to “attacks,” and trying to reframe legitimate concerns as “fear mongering.” It’s the PR equivalent of waving the white flag while still insisting you’re winning.

What’s Missing in Their “Facts”

The flyer brags that “96% of the Fairgrounds isn’t racing.” But here’s what they leave out:

• You don’t build a racetrack, paddocks, and betting infrastructure for 6 race days unless you plan to expand.
• Once the track is built, there’s no guarantee it stays at 4% use.
• And even if racing is a “minority” of activity — 100% of it still sits on a contaminated landfill.

They say it’s “just two weekends.” We say: you don’t gamble with public health — even for a weekend.

What the Public Sees (And They Don’t Like It)

The Fairgrounds PR team may be spending big, but here’s what the actual community engagement looks like:

• Four public rallies and two (2) packed council meetings with dozens of residents speaking against the proposal.
• Zero visible proponent presence at City Hall. No speakers. No signs. No community testimony.
• Signs supporting the project? Almost exclusively posted on vacant lots, commercial storefronts, or properties with direct ties to the developer.

    This isn’t a groundswell of support. It’s astroturf with paid postage.

The Second Flyer — A Counterpunch Wrapped in Self-Pity

Let’s be clear: this second flyer wasn’t about information. It was damage control.

With mounting scrutiny, developers are trying to paint themselves as the victims — lashing out at residents for “spreading fear” while avoiding hard questions:

• Still no financial guarantees or audits.
• Still no detailed environmental remediation plan.
• Still no explanation for why a racetrack belongs on a toxic landfill.

They want public sympathy. But when your entire pitch is built on omission, exaggeration, and strategic silence — sympathy is in short supply.

“When your project has no support at the mic, no feet on the ground, and nothing but excuses in the mail — it’s not a movement. It’s a meltdown.”

The Fairgrounds team can keep printing mailers, but here’s the truth:
No flyer will erase environmental risk. No postcard will fix public trust.
And no PR spin can disguise a bad deal built on a toxic foundation.

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