The city council in Springfield, Massachusetts is weighing whether to commit taxpayers’ dollars toward a campaign to promote the city.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has asked the council to approve using $100,000 in surplus cash from last year’s city budget to help fund a multimillion dollar marketing campaign.
Plans for an “image campaign” were revealed by Sarno last December at a meeting with about 100 business leaders who were asked for contributions to pay for it.
"We need to tell our story and tell our story now and correctly," declared Sarno.
The idea of the campaign is to highlight Springfield’s attractions and attributes beyond the MGM casino that is scheduled to open in September and projected to draw 10,000 people a day to the city.
" This is a regional campaigning that is going to be looking at the Connecticut area, the Berkshires, New York, central Mass-Boston area and upper New England to sell our wares," Sarno said.
Springfield Chief Development Officer Kevin Kennedy estimated that up to $2 million would have to be spent for the campaign to be effective.
" The city will put in money," said Kennedy.
City Councilor Mike Fenton said he wants to know who is participating in the campaign and who is overseeing it.
"The image campaign is a great cause and one the city should participate in through its financial support after we have a thoughtful dialogue about what the overall campaign is going to look like, who the other sponsors are and ultimately who is responsible for overseeing this image campaign," said Fenton.
The council referred the mayor’s request to its Finance Committee.
" I am hopeful through the process we'll get more information and clarity about who and what agency is responsible for overseeing and implementing this image campaign," Fenton said.
Fenton said he does not object to the city spending money on marketing itself so long as the money is spent effectively.
" In the past we've had a variety of failed, in my opinion, marketing efforts," said Fenton. " The one thing throughout that was consistent was there was no consistent approach."
At December’s meeting where the image campaign was discussed with business leaders, it was explained that the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts would collect the funds for the project.
The marketing campaign is to be the creative work of local media working collaboratively.
It was expected the campaign would launch in the first three months of 2018 but that window is rapidly closing.
