Latest news with #EasternStatesExposition
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big E, big business, big opportunity: Expo's CEO highlights $1.17B in economic ripples to region
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Big E and its sister events held at the Eastern States Exposition grounds generated $1.167 billion in economic activity last year. That translates into more than 8,000 jobs — 5,140 in Hampden County alone — and more than $439 million in personal income. The Eastern States Exposition generates more than $6.2 million in income taxes, too. 'We stand here in this historic space to draw attention to an historic and important cultural and economic asset in our region,' Eugene J. Cassidy, The Big E president and CEO, said. 'We are the fourth-largest public event that takes place in North America. And I think that's something that all who are members of the community should take pride in and celebrate. And I think it's something that oftentimes gets overlooked.' The $1.167 billion measures total sales attributed to The Big E, spread out over participating companies across New England and New York. About a third of the earnings, $485 million, is generated just in Hampden County, according a new report. Both numbers are likely an undercount, said Billy Leung, an economist and senior vice president for REMI, Regional Economic Models Inc. of Amherst, authors of the report. 'What we didn't model in this particular scenario is the businesses that come here and market themselves, so they continue to grow, when they're back in Pennsylvania, when they're back in Maine,' he said. The Big E, along with REMI, and state and local leaders, released Tuesday the results of the new economic impact study. The fair reported a $750-million-a-year annual impact prior to the COVID shutdowns in 2020. Leung, who grew up in Agawam and often visited the fair, said he and his team arrived at the $1.167 billion number by calculating not only visitor spending at The Big E, but also Storrowton Village, an RV show, home show, the Poultry Congress and myriad other events. REMI also took into account the effect those dollars have as they move through the local economy. It's not just the carpenter who sets up the trade show booth, but the hardware store, the coffee shop and everyone else that the carpenter does business with, officials noted. John Robison, vice chairman of The Big E's board of trustees, said the $1.167 billion also represents the effects on people's lives. 'That number is too big a thing, really, for any of us to grasp. But I would wager that every single one of you knows somebody who has become wealthy by taking part in this fair,' he said. 'Look at the people who are out there selling swimming pools, who are in our local communities selling snowmobiles, selling cars, selling sweaters, selling hats.' Read more: Big E leader: Weekend crowds will be managed with fixes to fair chokepoints, new weekday ticket deal Food vendors at the fair are all small businesses, he said. Many are owned locally. 'You think, 'How well can you do as a food vendor?' Well, out there we have people who have delivered millions of hot dogs and hamburgers and funnel cakes over the years,' Robison said. 'They have more economic power by operating at our fair than any stand-alone restaurant in this area.' The Big E itself takes in about $30 million a year, Robison said. Of that, it keeps about 20% or 30% each year to maintain and improve its grounds. The Big E — a nonprofit institution — pays West Springfield 1% of its gross revenue each year, funding a community grant program. Last year, the total was $249,013. West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt said that fund, along with other miscellaneous taxes generated on the grounds, makes the Expo the fifth largest taxpayer in West Springfield. West Side benefits in other ways, too, the mayor noted. 'The businesses and the hotels, the extra Dunkin' Donuts and gas stations, those things wouldn't exist on (Memorial) Avenue without the fair driving people down here ... to spend their money in these areas,' Reichelt said. 'And it's also important, because it brings people from outside the region into the region to spend their money, whether it be here in West Springfield, in Springfield, in the neighboring communities.' Cassidy said The Big E has five full-time employees, but during fair season, it has about 1,000 employees on its payroll and about another 3,500 on the grounds. Big E leader: Weekend crowds will be managed with fixes to fair chokepoints, new weekday ticket deals Iconic, giant 'Uncle Sam' moving to plaza that's home to Nathan Bill's pub 58,000 personal care attendants in Massachusetts get raises Read the original article on MassLive. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
400 hungry WMass families fed with donation effort by Price Rite, partners
WEST SPRINGFIELD — There are nights when Kathy Rocco and her husband don't make dinner — they scrounge for it. 'You can always find crackers, or we have a garden, so I can go out and make a salad,' she told The Republican. The couple was among 400 families that each received a 25-pound box of food, a 15-pound box of personal care items and backpacks filled with school supplies Tuesday on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. Price Rite Marketplace partnered with Feed the Children, the Boys & Girls Club of West Springfield and the Parish Cupboard to address what organizers said is a widespread, urgent need for help. 'We're here to give them immediate relief. They're stretching their budgets to the brink,' said Joe Allegro, senior director of corporate partnerships for Feed the Children. Allegro said more than 10% of families in West Springfield live at or below the poverty level. He said each family received $200 worth of products, including food that can be used to make 20 meals for a family of four. The total giveaway was worth $175,000 and could benefit up to 1,600 people, Allegro said. Price Rite is based in New Jersey and operates more than 50 grocery stores in the Northeast. The company said it opened its first store in West Springfield 30 years ago and staged the distribution to mark that anniversary. 'We are in a lot of underserved areas, from a food desert perspective. I have a real passion for being in neighborhoods where people really need us,' said company President Kevin McDonnell. More than 40 Price Rite employees volunteered their time to load tons of food into local residents' cars, SUVs and trucks that drove under a temporary shelter in pouring rain. Angel Acevedo, a grocery stocker, lifted heavy cases of water and other items into dozens of cars. He witnessed grateful looks on the faces of people he also sees in his store, customers who leave his grocery aisles with less than they want because they don't have the cash. 'Some people purchase half of what they need and leave the store. They have to decide what's more important, and get that,' he said. The Greater Boston Food Bank reports that food insecurity in Western Massachusetts is higher than it is anywhere else in the commonwealth. The Food Bank said 41% of households here experience food insecurity, compared to 39% and 29% in Central and Eastern Massachusetts, respectively. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts reports 48% of households in Hampden County are facing this problem. Rocco listened to music on her phone as she waited for her share of groceries. She never thought she would end up in a food line when she retired from nursing a year ago, she said. 'I didn't know things would be this hard at this point in my life. But you can't go back. I just have to do the best I can with what I have. You're either poor or your rich. There's no middle anymore,' she said. Yolanda Gomez was second in line, taking no chances with missing out on the donated food. She must feed a family of four but said she can't always do it on the disability checks she gets from Social Security. 'I go to a lot of pantries. Today is very helpful. I need food. Sometimes we don't have any,' she said. Allegro said Feed the Children tries to focus on long-term solutions to poverty and hunger, but relies on emergency giveaways to help people suffering today. 'Everything has been ramped up so high, and their benefits aren't keeping up with inflation. It's going in the wrong direction. We don't know when things will turn, so we're here for the long run,' he said. Price Rite tries to offer discounts with a no-frills approach to business and stores that have minimal staffing, but the chain's president says containing costs is a constant struggle. 'We look at all of the different inputs that come into our business and react on a daily basis,' said McDonnell. 'It's a fluid business. Every day, every week, every hour you see what your sales are and what your costs are. It's very active. It's never ending.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After record-breaking attendance, The Big E seeks to disperse crowds in 2025
The Big E is seeking to avoid crowding issues, which stemmed from record-breaking attendance last year, by offering half-priced tickets for this year's fair. The fair is hosting a flash sale from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday where weekday tickets, which normally cost $21.50, will be priced at $10.75. 'The midweek tickets aim to promote the Fair's fantastic entertainment offerings and highlight the best days to come to the Fair,' a press release read. 'We hope this becomes part of how people plan their Fair visit, making it a mini getaway in the middle of the week. It's a fresh way to experience the Fair, and this flash sale is the perfect reason to give it a try!' Customers can purchase up to eight tickets. Tickets are valid only one weekday of The Big E, Monday through Thursday. Tickets are exclusively available on The Big E's website. The sale was announced after The Big E broke an all-time total attendance record by welcoming 1,633,935 people in 2024. As one of the largest fairs in the U.S. and Canada, the 175-acre West Springfield event also broke its all-time single daily attendance record at 178,608 attendees on Sept. 21, and reported seven attendance records broken over the course of this year's 17-day fair, with five of them in a row. The Big E now nears — or far surpasses — daily attendance numbers of the 375-acre The Great New York State Fair and the 277-acre Texas State Fair. Last year's fair led may fairgoers to be concerned for their safety due to large crowds. Multiple viral social media videos showed gridlocked crowds across The Big E, with some fairgoers becoming concerned for their safety. 'It was almost impossible to walk through, because there were so many people,' Alice Flyte, of Westfield, previously told MassLive. 'I was just totally amazed at how full it was,' the 74-year-old said while describing lines of well over 20 people at every food stand and restroom and 'gridlocked' paths. Flyte was one of 49 people who told MassLive last year they felt unsafe at the fair over that weekend. Others said they experienced varying degrees of feeling secure with their family. The Eastern States Exposition said it was prepared for the crowds. 'In preparation for these large crowds, Eastern States Exposition increased its security detail and worked closely with law enforcement and emergency service partners to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all,' a statement to MassLive read. 'Thanks to these efforts, only minor incidents occurred, with just one arrest related to a domestic matter in the parking lot — an outstanding safety ratio given the high volume of attendees.' The Big E takes place from Sept. 12 to Sept. 28. Pop headliner announced for The Big E Arena in fall 2025 performance Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes to headline the Big E Arena together for fall 2025 Sparking interest, powering growth: Manufacturing tech show fills Big E Folk rock band The Avett Brothers to headline The Big E Arena in fall 2025 'Halfway to St. Paddy's Day' 2025 performance lineup unveiled by The Big E Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Big E fair celebrates record attendance Flash Sale
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Eastern States Exposition is holding a 'Flash Sale' on Wednesday to celebrate the 100-day countdown to The Big E Fair. Free concert lineup announced for The Big E Fair in September From 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., general admission tickets to New England's Great State Fair are on sale for only $10 with a $0.75 fee. Regular ticket prices cost $21.50. There is a limit of eight tickets per order. The discounted tickets are available online only at This Flash Sale is a way for the Eastern States Exposition to say thank you to attendees for helping make last year's fair memorable, as they had the best attendance to date, with numbers reaching a record-setting 1,633,935. Discounted tickets will allow attendees to visit the Big E Fair for half off the regular general admission price, Monday through Thursday. With purchasing these tickets, you get access to free concerts like The Marshall Tucker Band, Sister Hazel, and Elliot Lurie of Looking Glass on the Court of Honor Stage, plus the Circus Spectacular, Country-themed shows at Dolly's Honky Tonk, grounds attractions and variety performances for only $10.75. The Big E Fair will be taking place from September 12th through the 28th. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Eastern States Exposition leaders receive Patriot Award for military support
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Eastern States Exposition (ESE) President and CEO Gene Cassidy and Captain of Public Safety Johnny Ramirez were each recognized with the Patriot Award for their commitment to supporting military personnel and veterans. A representative from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) visited the Eastern States Exposition last Friday to present Cassidy and Ramirez with the award. The Patriot Award is bestowed upon employers who support military employees by offering flexible schedules and time off based on deployment. Holyoke unveils mural downtown to honor community leader Ramirez and Cassidy were nominated by ESE's Sergeant of Safety and Security, Christopher Thompson. Thompson has served in the military for over 28 years, with experience in both the Navy and Air Force. 'I want to thank you for putting my name in for nomination,' Cassidy said. 'Eastern States Exposition does not conscientiously think about these things. We do it by nature. In my office, I have a trophy that was once presented to our founder, Joshua Loring Brooks, in 1919, because of what he did to support the war efforts during the First World War. So, the history of Eastern States Exposition is not lost on me now.' During the reception, Cassidy signed a statement of support to affirm his continued commitment to actively serving military and veterans, which will be displayed in the Brooks Building on the ESE grounds. The Eastern States Exposition offers Military Appreciation Day on the first day of The Big E every year, granting free admission to all active-duty and retired military personnel and their dependents. Resources are provided throughout the fair for counseling, benefits, medical treatment, and other essentials. This year, Military Appreciation Day will be on September 12. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.