Summary:

The purpose of this study is to document recent market conditions in the area prior to the expansion of the Plainridge raceway to include a slots parlor and other amenities. The goal is to establish a baseline for measuring potential development impacts.

For this report, we compare historic trends in Plainville to the Immediate Region (Norfolk and Bristol Counties) and the state (Figure 1). While inclusive of Plainville, both the Immediate Region and the state stretch beyond the likely sphere of influence of the Casino. Yet they are still subject to the similar influences of national business cycles and regional economic and demographic trends. Thus, the bulk of the impacts of the development are likely to be averaged-out. Still, we recognize that these are not ideal comparison groups, not that such a thing actually exists. One of the primary purposes of this baseline study is to ascertain just how well recent market trends in the state and region match the host community, and whether these can serve as a sufficient basis for comparison.