New England Public Radio

Sarno: Springfield Exploring Options To Take Over Troubled Dunbar Community Center

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says the city is exploring options to take over a venerable community center in danger of closing.

The Dunbar Community Center, in the city’s Mason Square neighborhood, has hosted athletics, dance and social programs since the 1930’s. But the privately-owned center is facing foreclosure by a Colorado-based company which owns the mortgage for the building’s expansion project. Dunbar representatives say they tried to negotiate on payments without success. Speaking before Dunbar supporters, Mayor Sarno says the city will do “its due diligence” to ensure the building remains open.

“The last we can do is allow this property, the programs that are occurring here, to be shut down or padlocked,” he says.

Sarno declined to discuss details of a takeover, but says it could be modeled on the city’s purchase of a private early childhood center in Mason Square in 2014.

Do Springfield Residents Trust MGM?

MGM plans to make a public presentation in mid-November over plans to reduce the size of its Springfield casino and eliminate the hotel’s glass tower. Company officials even flew into town Thursday to reassure the mayor that they’re committed to the city. We asked people in downtown Springfield if they trust MGM.

Click the audio player above to hear the responses from Jessica McDonald, Ed Robert, Amanda Vazquez and Raya Khedker.

MGM Wants To Shrink Springfield Resort Casino

MGM Resorts International has announced that it plans to cut the size of its casino development in Springfield by nearly 14 percent.

In a notice of project change filed late last week with Massachusetts environmental regulators, MGM said it planned to reduce the scope of the project by 122,000-square feet.

The most recent filing with the state calls for a reduction in retail and restaurant space, a smaller bowling alley and movie theater, and the elimination of 387 parking spaces in the casino garage.

The company announced last month it was eliminating a 25-story hotel tower and replacing it with a six-story hotel that would include the same 250 rooms.

MGM has said it remains committed to Springfield and the targeted completion date for the project is still September 2018.

Mayor Domenic Sarno, in a statement released just ahead of a Tuesday press conference, was clearly annoyed.

“From what I thought was a frank discussion, it is incomprehensible to me why, when meeting with [MGM officials] to speak about the redesign to the hotel that the changes to other amenities were never mentioned,” Sarno said. “Consequently, My team and I are reviewing the impact this site plan would have on jobs and revenue and I will not approve any changes to the design that have a negative impact.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MGM Boss: Casino Company Is Not Wavering On Springfield

CITY COUNCIL LEADER STILL SKEPTICAL OF DESIGN CHANGES

MGM’s top executive on Monday met with city leaders to pledge his full commitment to Springfield. But issues remain with changes to the company’s casino design.

After meeting with Mayor Domenic Sarno, MGM Resorts International President Bill Hornbuckle defended the company’s decision to eliminate a 25-story hotel tower in favor of a six-story structure. He notes MGM first came to Springfield after the 2011 tornado.

“Our commitment to [building in Springfield] back then and today has not wavered,” Hornbuckle said. “Not one iota.”

RELATED: From Gaming Commission, Concern That MGM Isn’t Fully Committed To Springfield

Hornbuckle also met with city council leaders including President Mike Fenton, to assure them MGM is not trying to get out of anything. Fenton says he’s still concerned about the loss of the glass tower.

“We have to be sure that to the extent that the city considers approving that kind of change, we secure some other ancillary benefits from MGM that were not previously agreed to,” Fenton says.

Fenton did not say what those benefits would be.

MGM also announced Monday that it plans to buy the former school department headquarters downtown. The vacant building would house market-rate apartments that MGM has pledged to develop.

Sarno Offers Encouragement And Advice To Revere Counterpart In Aftermath Of Tornado

As the cleanup continues in Revere, Massachusetts from Monday’s tornado, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says he’s reached out to his counterpart in the coastal city to offer support

Mayor Sarno says he was unable to speak directly with Revere’s Mayor Dan Rizzo, most likely because of the damage City Hall sustained in the storm. But Sarno says he passed on some advice based on his experiences from the June, 2011 tornado that swept through western Massachusetts.

In order to get reimbursement from the state and federal governments, Sarno advises, make sure local officials document every cost associated with responding to the disaster.

“Whether from public safety to tree removal; debris removal; costs that are being incurred for personnel costs or OTPS costs,” says Sarno.

Those OTPS costs include supplies, vehicles and gasoline.

And Sarno is urging local officials and residents to remember to keep things in perspective, in spite of the non-stop pace of recovery work ahead.

“No one was killed, thank God, and injuries I understand were limited.”

And structures and infrastructure, Sarno says, can always be rebuilt.

 

 

Sarno Responds To Federal Subpoena Reports

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says the city is fully cooperating with a federal investigation. These were Sarno’s first public comments since new broke this week that Springfield was served with a subpoena for contracts with an Agawam construction company.

Sarno re-affirmed a statement he issued through his spokesperson earlier this week: he does not tolerate violations of public trust in City Hall. And, he says, his administration has nothing to hide.

“If anything comes to light on this, again, we’re fully cooperative on this issue,” says Sarno. “There is a process, and we’ll have to see where this takes us, but we want to make sure that things will continue to be done right, which they have under my administration.”

At issue are city contracts with the Zielinski Brothers construction company, which totaled $4.6 million , dating back to 2009. Sarno says an internal review of city contracts with the company is ongoing, and Springfield’s attorney says sent copies of the requested contracts to federal authorities.

A lawyer for the Zielinski Brothers said Friday that since this is an ongoing investigation, the company has no comment at this time.

Updated at 4:50 p.m. with comment from attorney.