WWLP

MGM Springfield mitigation funds awarded to these western Massachusetts communities

By Ashley Shook,

13 hours ago

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Nearly $6 million in community mitigation funds have been awarded from MGM Springfield to western Massachusetts.

A total of $4,646,925 in municipal grants were awarded to eight communities and $1,323,400 in regional grants in western Mass. by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) for Fiscal Year 2025. The funds, which were established by the gaming law, offer aid to local communities to help offset costs related to MGM Springfield’s casino operation.

“The Community Mitigation Fund is an important and impactful program aimed at maximizing the benefits of legalized gambling while mitigating any unintended impacts associated with the operation of the Commonwealth’s casinos,” said MGC Interim Chair Jordan Maynard. “This program is a direct investment in our communities, prioritizing projects that enhance local infrastructure, public safety, and harm reduction. The 2024 grant recipients represent innovative and tangible initiatives, which upon implementation will have a positive impact on communities and residents across the state.”

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission applications and voted to approve the following grants:

MUNICIPAL GRANTS

Chicopee: $341,100

Police Virtual Training Program- The funding will be used to purchase the Axon Virtual Reality (VR) Training System, with three (3) years of service. This training system will provide police training including de-escalation training, implicit bias training, use of force training as well as other training to help improve police/patron/employee interactions.
Center Streetscapes (Phase 2)- A continuation of a project funded last cycle, the funding will be used for Complete Street and Vision Zero Streetscape Design services. Converting streets from one-way to two-way travel, with a Complete Streets design approach to enhance walking, bicycling, and bus stops for people of all ages and abilities.
ValleyBike Bikeshare – In anticipation of the relaunch of the ValleyBike program the funding will go toward relaunching the system and reactivating Chicopee’s three stations.

East Longmeadow: $292,725

Parcel Inventory and Site-Readiness Assessment – Funds will allow the town to work with their local regional planning agency to develop a parcel inventory and site-readiness assessments for a Center-Town District. This information will help the Town identify key sites with high development prospects that they can leverage for economic and community development initiatives.
Road Safety Audit – Funds will be used for a traffic study from LaSalle Street southerly to Center Square Driveway, just north of the East Longmeadow Rotary, approximately 0.87 miles. The study will collect, tabulate, and analyze crash data and document trends and causes of incidents within the project limits.
Rapid Flashing Beacons – Funds will be used to install beacons at four pedestrian crossings along Maple Street and Shaker Road to facilitate pedestrian safety.
Sidewalk Design – Funds will be used for design services required to install new cement concrete sidewalks (excluding driveways) with ADA compliant pedestrian curb ramps along portions of Westwood Avenue and Maple Street.
Radar Speed Signs – Funds will be used to purchase portable speed radar signs. The signs would slow and calm traffic on Rt. 83 and other streets in town that are commonly used to travel to and from Springfield. The signs also collect and store traffic data (speeds and counts).
Traffic Cameras – Funds will be used to purchase 4 traffic monitoring cameras to be installed at intersections in town, both on Rt. 83 and on other routes, which have traffic going to or from Springfield. These cameras assist in monitoring real-time traffic conditions and can also be used as an investigative aid in vehicle crashes and criminal investigations.
Mutual Aid Fire Pre-Plan – Funds will be used for training to prepare their firefighters to respond to fire or EMS emergencies at MGM casino, the Mass Mutual Center, and the nearby hotels.

Holyoke: $219,500

Race Street Lot Activation – Funding will be used in collaboration with the City of Holyoke, Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), and the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce to activate a vacant and blighted lot in a high tourism area.
ExploreHolyoke.com – Funds will be used to continue tourism-related events web development and maintenance.
MGM Shuttle Service – Funding will go toward a shuttle service between MGM Casino and Holyoke for special events throughout the year. The shuttle service is the critical connection between the city and MGM to promote further collaboration with the Casino and a form for locals and visitors to explore both Holyoke events and Springfield’s growing Casino.
Event and Marketing Support – Funding for marketing support for local events and initiatives related to the 2018 Tourism Plan.
Greater Springfield Visitor’s Bureau Membership Package – Funding will cover the cost of the City of Holyoke’s Tourism Advisory Committee fees towards memberships to the Greater Springfield Convention Bureau.
ValleyBike Bikeshare Program – Funding will cover the administrative costs associated with being a part of the bikeshare program.
Lighting Installation – In collaboration with Beyond Walls, a nonprofit that implements design response projects, we will engage the community in designing and installing lighting features that further enhance the tourism experience and beautify a few select locations.
Harm Reduction Survey – Funding will be used to conduct a city-wide survey in collaboration with the Western Mass Public Health Institute. The survey will be available in English and Spanish. The survey will gather data on all age groups and will include all relative demographic information. Partnering with the public schools, the Holyoke Senior Center, Holyoke Community College, Nueva Esperanza, Girls Inc and others the survey. With the data from the survey Holyoke will be able to create an action plan to address concerns of gambling addiction or unhealthy behaviors around gambling.

Ludlow: $244,900

Marketing Plan – Funds will be used to support the development of a master marketing plan as a tool to promote Ludlow and its quality dining, outdoor recreation spaces, craft breweries and zoo among other attractions.
Fire Extrication Tools – Funds will be used to purchase battery operated a hydraulic cutter, spreader, combi-tool, extrication ram, a set of lifting air bags and accessories.
Traffic Public Safety Equipment – Funds will be used to purchase equipment and upgrade crosswalks to ensure pedestrian and vehicle safety including message boards, Lidar, speed boards, a message trailer and solar lighted crosswalks.

Northampton: $75,000

ValleyBike Bike Share Operations – Funding will cover a portion of the city’s operational costs. Including costs for maintaining bikes, maintenance of a storage facility, daily balancing of bikes, customer service, IT support for users, and data and reporting.

Springfield: $2,864,800

Main St Wayfinding and Signage – Funding develop a consistent district identity & demarcation, cohesive signage package to unite the anchors together and provide clear wayfinding throughout and attraction to all the retail, business, and tourism offerings in the area around MGM, Court Square and MassMutual.
Connectivity & Public Realm (Phase 2) – Funds will advanced the detailed urban design, streetscape, hardscape, landscape, and lighting designs and related engineering to expand a high-quality pedestrian environment and connectivity to additional areas around MGM.
Mixed Use Parking Infrastructure Project – A continuation of a project funded in the last cycle this is the second tranche of funding for the mixed-use garage construction in downtown Springfield.
Police Equipment, Training, and Outreach – The funds will cover the purchase of 2 new Recon Power Bikes, new earpieces and microphones, and 4 new Mobile LPR-2 Cameras. Funds will also cover various police trainings including Sexual Assault and Cyber Crimes, Crisis Intervention, and ALERRT Active Response Responder. The City also plans to use funding to cover the cost of increased traffic and homelessness deployments in the MGM area.
Extrication Tools – Funds will be used to purchase two new sets of extrication tools to more efficiently carry out extrication incidents. These 2 sets of jaws will be assigned to the Rescue Squad and TAC-1 which primarily respond to the casino area.
Springfield Young Adult Gambling Project – A continuation of a project funded in the last cycle for the Young Adult Gambling Project (YAGP) Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Plan. These funds will be used to continue research being done on the impacts of the casino on young adults in the city.

West Springfield: $299,800

Police, Fire/EMS, and Dispatch Support – Reimbursement of Police, Fire/EMS & Dispatch for additional public safety personnel.
Fire Department Training – Training related to aerial ladder truck operations and truck placement specific to hotel occupancies.
Police Department Overtime – Increase patrols in the area of Memorial Bridge and North End Bridge.
Police Department Training – Funds will cover overtime costs for training of officers for two courses using the MILO System at the Western MA Police Academy in Holyoke. The courses are Crisis Intervention and Force and De-escalation Tactics.
Radar Message Sign-funds for a portable radar message sign that will be deployed in the area of the Memorial Bridge and the North End Bridge to assist with traffic enforcement.

Wilbraham: $309,100

Road Safety Equipment – funding will cover a variety of public safety equipment including highway message boards, license plate cameras, a multi lens CCTV Camera for Main Radio Transmitter Site, Video Server for System Upgrades, Video Software and Installation of Cameras.
Springfield and Stony St Intersection – Funding will be used to improve the intersection’s line of sight, reduce accidents, allow for pedestrian use, and reduce congestion.

REGIONAL GRANTS

Hampden County District Attorney: $75,000

Personnel Costs – The funding will directly ease the financial burden imposed by casino-related matters. Administrative personnel in the District Court create and manage each case that comes through the system which includes data entry for each court case.

Hampden County Sheriff: $400,000

Lease Assistance – Funding will help to offset the annual lease increase to the Western Massachusetts Recovery and Wellness Center. The Center was previously located in the footprint of MGM Springfield and the new building had a significantly higher rent.

Holyoke Community College: $448,750

HCC Line Cook and Hotel Training – Funding will be used to host 7 cohorts of line cook trainees who will be able to attain credentials including a Line Cook Certificate, ServSafe Food Manager, and an Allergen Certificate. New for this year is the creation of a Hotel Front Desk/Room Attendant training program trainees will be able to attain credentials including a Certificate of Completion and Guest Service Gold Customer Service Certificate.
Springfield Public Schools Ahead of the Game – Funding will be used to provide a comprehensive array of resources to students, including basic literacy, basic mathematics, high school equivalency test preparation (HiSET/GED/TABE), adult diploma programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), job skills training (interview and resume writing), financial literacy, work readiness training, and computer literacy. Students will also participate in a series of workshops tailored to their needs.

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission: $98,400

BIPOC and Women-Owned Micro and Small Business Study – Funding will be used to collect and evaluate data regarding BIPOC and Women-Owned Micro and Small Businesses in the Pioneer Valley to gain greater understanding of how best to enhance business capacity.

Springfield Technical Community College: $301,250

WorkReady 2024- In collaboration with Holyoke Community College, STCC will continue to offer their Hampden Prep Program. This program provides high-impact computer & digital literacy training and job readiness skills with ESOL support. They will also continue to offer HiSET/GED test preparation, contextualized ESOL for hospitality/customer service, and hospitality industry related certifications.

Since 2015, the MGC has awarded approximately $56.7 million in grants through the Community Mitigation Fund.