“If it’s anything like what happened in Leicester, we’re probably going to have our hands full,” Prosniewski said.

The city also plans to use local parking lots and shuttles to manage traffic, and will need to ensure safety, especially during the three hours the store will be operating during the evening when it will be dark, Prosniewski added.

Salem and Wareham will continue to plan leading up to opening day, and they certainly will not be the last community to go through it. As of Nov. 26, the CCC had approved 76 more provisional licenses, including 25 more retailers.

At a certain point, there’s nothing left to do other than hope everything goes smoothly, Prosniewski added, echoing Hurley.

“We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Prosniewski said.