Yes or No to Horse Racing? A Check of Facts
Which poster will reflect the decision of the Gardner City Council who decides on July 1st whether or not to schedule a public hearing regarding the possibility of horse racing at 827 Green Street in Gardner?
Our Chart Lists the publicized positives from proponents and negatives from opponents and a corresponding Fact Check.
Review Proposed Host Agreement. Review additional info on proposal from packet.
Positives
Negatives
| Statement | Fact Check |
|---|---|
| Sale of Land Benefits GAAMA | TRUE. GAAMHA would receive $1.6 million for the land at 827 Green Street in the transaction, plus an additional unspecified multi-million dollar donation. |
| City of Gardner to receive $500,000+ annually | Possibly TRUE. As City of Gardner would receive a percentage of revenues, exact annual amount would depend on success of the business. Clarification 6-26: BayState Racing LLC states to us, “The approximate $500,000 is calculated as the PILOT payment, revenue from simulcasting, meal and hotel tax. It may be more than $500,000 some years..” |
| Can benefit other local businesses | TRUE. Increased people traffic to Gardner could mean additional customers for existing businesses. |
| Next Step is City Council 7-1-24 | TRUE. City Council will vote on whether to schedule a public hearing. |
| Mayor Michael Nicholson is in favor of the project | TRUE. He was skeptical at first, had Assistant City Solicitor negotiate Host Agreement to make sure all concerns and impacts adequately addressed. Mayor has stated he is in favor of proposal. |
| After Public Hearing, City Council can vote to approve Racetrack | FALSE. City Council can only approve that 827 Green Street is suitable for a Racetrack. Mayor must also approve. Thereafter, anyone owning that land could apply for license with Gaming Commission. |
| If City Council and Mayor approve of land use, item goes forward to Gaming Commission | FALSE. City Council and Mayor must first approve a Community Host Agreement. CLICK HERE TO REVIEW AGREEMENT |
| Next Step is approval from Gaming Commission | FALSE. Massachusetts Gaming Commission will first schedule a public hearing prior to granting a gaming license. |
| Gardner completely loses control once license is granted | FALSE. Gaming Commission holds a hearing every year on renewal of the license Additionally, the Mayor will appoint a Gardner resident to serve as a member on BayState’s Oversight Committee which will report yearly to Mayor and Council. |
| Manure from Race Horse a positive for environment | Possibly TRUE. Each horse produces about 9 tons of manure each year. Off-site companies can process this into safe and clean fertilizer |
| Comprehensive Proposal Provided by Bay State Racing LLC. | TRUE – Here is the 187 pages of information on the proposal included in the City Council packet, CLICK HERE. |
| BayState Racing LLC claims site has a history of breeding, training, and racing of horses | TRUE – BayState Racing LLC has launched a website providing their view of the project. Website, CLICK HERE |
| Statement | Fact Check |
|---|---|
| Manure from Race Horses an environmental concern | FALSE, manure would be collected, kept on a concrete slab, and disposed of properly off site. Horse Manure itself contains a high amount of phosphorus which would contribute to excess nitrates in the environment. However, concern is addressed upfront. |
| Shady Business Going on Behind the Scenes | FALSE, Agreement with GAAMHA disclosed, proposed agreement between Bay State Racing LLC and Gardner disclosed. |
| BayState Racing LLC turned down for similar project elsewhere | TRUE. Town of Hardwick voters voted NO in January 2023 on having a racetrack in their community. |
| Majority of Gardner Against Racetrack | Probably FALSE. A meeting of those opposed was held on Sunday, June 23, 2024 and less than 100 people attended. This represents under 1 percent of Gardner’s approximately 14,000 registered voters. |
| Lack of Oversight | FALSE, if this moves forward, the MA Gaming Commission would hold public hearings every year prior to license renewal. |
| No oversight re Surface Water Protection | FALSE. Conservation Commission will review site for buffer zones and surface water protection. BayState Racing LLC claims project improves stormwater management and environmental concerns. |
| Site Plan can be whatever Bay State Racing LLC wants | FALSE. Gardner Planning Board will have final site plan approval. |
| A court could override a decision of the Planning Board | TRUE. Any applicant not satisfied with a decision of the Planning Board can appeal the ruling in court where both sides would be represented. |
| Racing is Cruel | Partially TRUE – Anecdotal reports in recorded history exists of horses mistreated elsewhere in the industry. However strict regulations and laws now on the books would make animal cruelty unlikely here. BayState Racing LLC publicly states its love for horses. MSPCA oversight is mandated by regulation. |
| Gambling to Take Place | TRUE – Part of the Appeal of the venture to BayState Racing LLC is the revenue to be derived from wagers from online gambling. Clarification from BayState LLC: Gambling only takes place on festival race days in temporary kiosks. There is no wagering on site beyond those days. Overwhelmingly amount of wagering will take place on cellphones. There will be no expanded gaming on site. |
| Proposed Racetrack would have additional costs to the City | PARTIALLY TRUE – Proposed host agreement mandates BayState Racing LLC pay for all police, fire and EMS details on festival days, and any other impacts on the city |
BayState Racing LLC stated the following: “What you see today from Route 140 is what you will see as Bay State Park. —- Renovate: the barns and the current house —– Build: gazabo and pads for food trucks—- Grandstands for the track will be built into a hill, as a natural seating —- Event parking will be off-site to remediate traffic issues on Route 140.”