A Massachusetts racehorse owner proposes to build a $25 million equine center in Sturbridge that would offer sports betting and bring back horseracing to the Bay State.
Armand Janjigian has proposed the Sturbridge Agricultural and Equestrian Center on 223 acres near Interstate 84 near the Connecticut state line. It would include a mile-long dirt track and seven-eighths mile turf track, dining, a community center, athletic fields, pedestrian trails and a conference center.
The New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association have endorsed the proposal. It would require the approval of the Board of Selectmen of the town and a two-thirds zoning approval at a town meeting. It is scheduled for a vote September 13.
Town Administrator Jeffrey K. Bridges Jr. said residents are weighing the proposal. He told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette “I’m sure they heard support and concern throughout the community and it’s really going to come down to addressing those concerns and people understanding what this is and what this is not.” He added, “It’s not a casino. There are no gaming tables. There are no slot machines. As the applicant said, it’s 10 races a year, plus a series of community events that the town is able to coordinate with them.”
