Daily News

Wall Street Journal Examines Springfield’s Economic Challenges

SPRINGFIELD — The Wall Street Journal recently published an article tackling the city’s efforts to “shake off decades of postindustrial malaise and capitalize on fresh economic energy downtown,” while calling its location a liability, as it’s too far from Boston or New York to double as a bedroom community.

“For decades, Springfield had chugged along as a dynamo of innovation, with inventions ranging from gasoline-powered cars to adjustable wrenches to the sport of basketball,” the article notes. “Now it is among many small and midsize cities dotting the Northeast and Midwest that have struggled to rebound from industrial decline and reap the same benefits as large cities from the U.S. economic recovery.”

The article quotes state Sen. Eric Lesser, who notes the city has been “left out of the red-hot gains that you’ve seen in Boston”; Mayor Domenic Sarno, who notes that Springfield needs to take advantage of an improving economy and momentum from developments like Union Station, MGM Springfield, and CCRC Corp.; and a number of economic analysts.

The article is available here for WSJ subscribers.