The Sturbridge Agricultural and Equestrian Center will be a state of the art, green complex with a racetrack and sports bar, farming programs and community amenities.
Where will the Sturbridge Agricultural and Equestrian Center be Located?
The Center will be located off I-84 on the Massachusetts - Connecticut border.
The facility is on 235 acres of land that will contain a thoroughbred racetrack, community farms, athletic fields, 2.3 miles of nature trails.
Project includes construction of new I-84 interchange for access to facility.
I-84 interchange will permanently take all the current commercial traffic and trucks servicing the landfill and recycling center off local roads.
We will prohibit access for races, festivals and the restaurant from Breakneck Road. No trucks or vehicles associated with the facility will be allowed to use Breakneck Road.
Project Timeline
At the beginning...
The Center is the vision of both Armand Janjigian and Richard Fields. A local businessman, and.horse breeder and owner Armand Janjigian with his wife, Robin Kalaidjian dreamed of opening a place for horses to live, race and retire, and for people to learn and appreciate the beauty of horses and nature. Richard Fields, a board member of Farm Aid, horse enthusiast, rancher and resort developer, expanded this vision to include an agricultural focus.
Where We Are Today
Since the beginning, our team has worked hard to develop a project that enhances what we all love about Sturbridge. We have met with the town’s Board of Selectmen several times, and have a public hearing scheduled to allow residents to learn more and provide input. ere are also additional meetings and hearings being scheduled with the town’s Planning Board and Finance Committee. In addition, we have met with the Recreation Committee, who voted to support the project unanimously, and the Trail Committee. We have hosted a number of public open house to engage with the residents of Sturbridge about this project, and to gain critical input from the community we hope to call home.
Present the Zoning Overlay District & Host Community Agreement
The ongoing process of meetings, hearings, and dialogue have resulted in a far better project than what we started with as reflected in a draft proposed Zoning Overlay District and Host Community Agreement (HCA). These two legally binding documents will govern every aspect of the project going forward providing critical protections for the community. They are constantly being shaped by the ongoing conversations we have with residents and town committees. The end result of this step is to have a draft agreement for the town government and, ultimately, the residents to consider. If approved, we all can take the next step to creating the Center.
Next, the town’s boards vote
After the public hearing with the Board of Selectmen, each of the town’s governing boards will debate the proposal and vote on whether to take the next step in this process.The Board of Selectmen will take a vote to place this proposal on the warrant for the fall town meeting, thus giving the residents their next opportunity to weigh in on the project. At every step in this process, the residents of Sturbridge have the final say as to whether we take the next step in making this project a reality.
Obtaining Local Permitting & State Authorizations
Should the approval be given at town meeting, we would then begin the process of getting the necessary local permits and state authorizations for the Sturbridge Agricultural & Equestrian Center. At each step, we will be required to follow the rules put forth in the Overlay District and the HCA, as well as abide by the local and state regulations that require additional hearings and opportunities for public comment. Our goal is to partner with the residents of Sturbridge at every step so we can all succeed together.
An Ongoing Partnership
At every step of this process, we will need to get approvals from the town, the state and even the federal government in order to make the Sturbridge Agricultural & Equestrian Center a success. The only way this happens is by engaging in a constant dialogue with the residents and developing a strong partnership with the Sturbridge community. We believe that this is truly an amazing and exciting opportunity and we look forward to taking every step with this community by our side.
Our Vision
We believe this Center is quintessential Sturbridge. Located off I-84, it will be a Center for festivals, community gardens, sports fields and trails through the woods.
A Project that Invests in Sturbridge
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Athletic fields for local sports, with a community pavilion, restrooms and snack bar.
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A green facility with nature trails, community gardens, farmers’ market and an operation that turns farm and restaurant waste into energy, making the Center self-sustaining.
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$1 million in new annual revenue and benefits to the town.
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Creation of 100 jobs for local residents.
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Access to the site will be from I-84, keeping Center traffic, along with truck traffic from the recycling center, off local roads. No access to Breakneck Road.