From $3 million a year to zero, that’s the funding crisis facing Springfield after the state pulled the plug on casino mitigation money. If you’ve enjoyed the improvements downtown or felt safer with increased police patrols, those changes could disappear.
For seven years Springfield has counted on casino money to transform the city. $3 million a year that built court square, paid for police details at events such as Star-Spangled Springfield, hired more police, and fixed neighborhood parks. Recently, city leaders learned that money pipeline has been shut off completely.
At Thursday’s Gaming Commission meeting, officials praised Springfield’s Downtown transformation. Mayor Domenic Sarno has turned court square from an eyesore into a community gathering place.
