Lights! Cameras! Are you kidding me?
Today’s big story in the T&G is the Scorsese film being shot at Medfield State Hospital, which is the same Scorsese film that should have been shot in Worcester. The story is a good read for a number of reasons as it points to the benefits being seen by local business in Medfield. For whatever reason, Worcesters leaders cannot wrap their heads around the concept of secondary effects of film for Worcester. That’s not hard to understand, Worcester being such an isolated community, many provincial locals are sure to believe we’ve got it all right here, which is quaint, but obviously not true. For example, my whole life I’ve run into people who have no connection to the city of Worcester other than one night at Ralphs Diner. There is a population of people scattered throughout the world who truly believe Worcester is a great place only because they got some free coke and a blowjob back in ’91. Maybe not how the Economic Development office wants to define Worcester, but it’s certainly better than today where the average person thinks of Worcecester as… OK so people just don’t think of Worcester. But the most important aspect of the story is the light cast on the attitudes held by Worcesters finest pols. Take a look at this quote from State Rep Pedone:
“To put all that in jeopardy to have Martin Scorsese driven around in his limousine to look at the little diners on Shrewsbury Street would have been foolish,” Mr. Pedone said. “Maybe Medfield has people in their diners at noon, but what we’re going to have on top of that hill is a $300 million investment that’s going to employ people for the next 50 years.”
Grand. I hope I’m not the only one pointing this out to Vincent today, but what he is describing is the exact opposite of investment, it’s a divestment. There will never be a return from a new state hospital, that’s just silly. For as long as this hospital is open the people who pay for it, Massachusetts taxpayers, will never see a return. I’m not going to start getting checks from the state because this hospital is making so much money they’re going to give some back. And let’s not kid ourselves; there are examples of actual government investments. My family in Anchorage for example, receives a dividend check every year for their collective ‘investment’ in the oil pipeline. That’s a return on investment. And as that investment losses its value as it has over the years, their checks get smaller, that’s how investments work. But you have to at least start with the potential for return. You would have to be a moron to actually believe that something that will cost, for all time, with no actual expectation for a return, could ever be considered an investment. Since I know Vincent isn’t a moron, I look forward to his statement of correction.
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Well said, although I’m not sold on Vinny’s intelligence.
The demolition of the old and the building of the new will be far more entertaining than any bad New England accent Leo can conjure up.
Nice post. Disappointing news to hear though.