This week, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce formally endorsed The Fairgrounds project, parroting developer promises about “economic revitalization” and “transforming an environmental liability into an asset.”

But their statement carefully avoids mentioning the real story unfolding behind the scenes.

Here’s what residents deserve to know:

1. Gambling Industry Lawyers Are Already Involved

Public records show Foley Hoag LLP — a major Boston law firm specializing in gaming and gambling law — representing Baystate Racing. Their involvement is not about a community fairgrounds. It’s about navigating legal frameworks to enable broader future gaming activities.

2. Environmental Lobbyists Are Steering Public Messaging

Durand & Anastas Environmental Strategies, a firm specializing in downplaying contamination risks, was engaged early. Their job? Help shift public perception about building atop a landfill, not to ensure public health protection.

3. Massachusetts Gaming Commission Was Engaged Early

Records confirm that Baystate Racing initiated discussions with the MGC long before the public was informed. This project has always been about positioning for gambling expansions — not simply holding “community events.”

4. Baystate Racing: A Paper Company, Not a Partner

The very entity entrusted with managing this risky redevelopment — Baystate Racing LLC — is little more than a shell.

After their failed attempt to launch a similar project in Gardner, Baystate Racing’s website was taken offline. Today, their domain is “parked,” their digital presence erased, and there’s no trace of real infrastructure, staff, or operational capacity.

No facilities. No equipment. No demonstrated expertise in environmental management.

And yet, proponents expect residents to entrust this ghost company with overseeing one of the most environmentally sensitive sites in North Central Massachusetts.

Apparently, the only due diligence happening is by concerned residents — not by the institutions that should be protecting them.

5. The City Will Retain Legal Liability — Not Baystate Racing

According to the project’s own advocates, under their agreement, Baystate Racing will “handle revitalization,” but the City of Leominster will continue to bear the legal liability for the site.

That’s not protection. It’s a liability shell game — privatizing profits while socializing risks onto taxpayers.

This Isn’t Revitalization — It’s Risk Shifting

Building a racetrack and entertainment venue atop a landfill doesn’t eliminate contamination risks. It magnifies them.

And trusting a shell company with no history, while leaving residents and taxpayers exposed to future liabilities, is not sound governance. It’s reckless political theater.

The Future of Leominster Deserves Better

No marketing campaign or political endorsement can paper over these realities.

Residents deserve transparency, environmental stewardship, and real protection — not Trojan Horses packed with hidden agendas.

Key Takeaways: What This All Means for Residents

✅ You are being sold a narrative, not a fact.
The real goal isn’t community events — it’s gambling expansion and developer profit.

✅ Backdoor dealings are already happening.
Engagements with the Gaming Commission, environmental lobbyists, and law firms were underway long before residents were informed.

✅ Baystate Racing has no credibility or capacity.
They are a paper company with no operational history, infrastructure, or transparency.

✅ The City — meaning taxpayers — will bear the risk.
If contamination issues worsen, lawsuits arise, or “revitalization” fails, it’s Leominster residents, not Baystate, who will be held liable.

✅ The institutions meant to protect you aren’t asking the hard questions. Why? $$$
The Chamber of Commerce endorsed the project without disclosing these critical facts. And, according to the “fairgrounds” themselves, the mayor is their biggest supporter!

Steps You Can Take:

1. Contact Your City Councilors
   Demand that they reject any agreement where the City retains legal liability while a private developer profits.
2. Attend Public Meetings and Speak Out
   Even short, simple comments from multiple residents make a huge difference.
3. Share This Information Widely
   Post it to local Facebook groups, share with friends, and circulate fact-based flyers.
4. Push for Full Transparency
   Demand the full Host Community Agreement and environmental remediation plans — in writing — before any approvals are considered.
5. Support Independent Oversight
   Call for third-party, independent environmental reviews before construction is permitted.

Don’t Let Leominster Be Fooled by a Trojan Horse.

Stay informed. Stay vigilant. Protect your community’s health, safety, and future.

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