Springfield courthouse project could generate thousands of jobs, $322M in labor income

An economic impact report has been released diving into the numbers behind the Springfield courthouse project. 22 News reporter Arata Odaya is live in the studio with those findings. Yeah, while the Liberty Junction team and its partners are excited for what's to come for the new Springfield Regional Justice Center, some are still working to stop it altogether. Jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Jobs, the focus of the Liberty Junction team's press conference, revealing the economic impact of the new and controversial Springfield Regional Justice Center. 300 jobs will be created in the first year of the project, 1,100 in the second year, 900 in the third, and 600 jobs in the last six months, with at least 15% minority populations. It also highlights $322 million in local labor income. They add that workers from all across the state will be pouring in financially and economically into local businesses in Springfield, like grocery stores and restaurants. We will be hiring the trade contractors, subcontractors, the carpenters, electricians, the HVAC technicians. We'll begin to employ and look to receive bids from them over the coming months. The Liberty Junction team also speaking to some of the concerns that local businesses have about their future because of the relocation. These local businesses, they feel like they're going to be hurt by the courthouse leaving its current location. I feel for their struggle. But DCAM made the decision. The state made the decision. Years ago now, after Tuesday's conference, we headed right across the street to 125 Liberty Street, where the courthouse will be built to speak with one of the competing bidders, Jeb Belize, about what he thought of the study. Construction jobs will be true with whoever gets the proposal. That report was done by a Boston firm, again, for political insiders on a deal that was shifted to political insiders. Belize says he and Dinesh Patel, who lost the bid, will continue their legal action to stop the project. Now, as for the courthouse, it's currently in the design phase, which will take about a year, then slowly hiring workers involving local schools in the process. Now, we will have that full report up at WWLP.com, and Liberty Junction is hosting another community conversation tonight all about the courthouse project, 6 o'clock at the Brightwood Elementary School. Working for you, Arata Odaya, 22 News.