Keeping a Promise: Springfield Wants Back $3M in Casino Funds

As reported by WWLP-TV, Springfield City Councilor Sean Curran is urging Governor Maura Healey to reinstate $3 million in casino mitigation funds that were cut from the state budget. 

The money, which comes from a $20 million pool meant for western Massachusetts communities, has long helped Springfield manage the costs of hosting Metro Center-based MGM Springfield.

Redirecting the Money Breaks the Commitment 

“The City of Springfield bears the greatest burden from casino-related traffic, public safety demands, and infrastructure needs,” explained Curran, adding the mitigation funds were “promised” to aid the community in managing those exact challenges. 

To give a different use to the money would break the commitment and place “an unfair strain” on the city budget, the councilor added. 

The city has been using the funds drawn from casino tax revenue for a decade, supporting key public services such as police and fire equipment, traffic improvements, infrastructure repairs, and projects like the Court Square Park renovation. 

Springfield typically received around $3 million each year, but this year the amount dropped to just $360,000.

Money Distribution

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has distributed about $56.7 million through the Community Mitigation Fund, financed by taxes from the city’s only AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel and casino, and Encore Boston Harbor (EBH), Everett’s luxury resort and casino. 

MGC’s June casino and sports betting report showed the state’s gaming industry generated a total revenue of $159.7 million, with MGM, EBH, and Plainridge Park Casino (PPC) alone paying taxes of $40.3 million.  

The money went toward a number of regional efforts, including expanding workforce and hospitality training programs at Holyoke Community College, Springfield Technical Community College, and Springfield Public Schools. 

Similarly, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department relied on the dollars to keep the Western Massachusetts Recovery & Wellness Center running. The latter is a crucial addiction treatment facility displaced during MGM’s construction. 

In parallel, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office used the fund to strengthen public safety programs, while nearby communities like West Springfield, Chicopee, Longmeadow, and Northampton have invested in infrastructure and economic development projects.

The State Casino Commission was expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the fate of the mitigation funds, with Curran reiterating his strong belief that the state has the resources to restore Springfield’s share, pointing to the $8 billion currently sitting in its reserves.

Restoring the funds for the city “is not just about fairness”, he went on, but “about keeping a promise to the host community that has upheld its end of the bargain”. Failing to bring back the money would trigger setbacks for Springfield and surrounding towns, which is why state leaders were urged to honor their original commitment.