The clock's ticking on Suffolk Downs — once seen as having a lock on the Eastern Massachusetts casino license — as rival bids from Wynn Resorts and Foxwoods gain steam and City Hall cranks up the heat on the East Boston track to sign its proposed mitigation agreement.
"They can't wait much longer," said the Rev. Richard McGowan of Boston College.
"They really need to sign something so they can have the election, wherever it's going to be," he added, referring to the dispute over whether to hold a host community vote citywide or just in Eastie.
If Suffolk reaches an agreement with city officials, they have between 60 and 90 days to hold an election, but resort casino applications are due to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission by Dec. 31. Wynn Resorts already cruised to a referendum victory in Everett last month and Milford selectmen voted earlier this week to begin negotiations for an agreement with Foxwoods.
The Herald reported yesterday the city was turning up the pressure on Suffolk to ink a casino deal.
"We continue to have productive conversations with city officials and look forward to continuing our work with the mayor and his team," said John Payne, a Caesars executive who's overseeing the Suffolk project for the company.
"This is not about putting pressure or leverage," said Dot Joyce, spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "This is about making sure the city has a contract and mitigation package that is right for Boston. We will do that with any proponent that's seeking to develop a casino in and around our city."
Casino critic and mayoral candidate Bill Walczak yesterday proposed East Boston as the next innovation district and told the Herald a casino there would be as devastating to growth as a prior proposal for a football stadium would have been to the Seaport District.
"People need to know what they're giving up by voting in a casino," he said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Plainridge Racecourse, disqualified from bidding for the state's sole slots parlor license this week, told the Herald "all options and alternatives are being explored" for the future of the racetrack, including leasing or selling the property to another applicant. Gaming Commission spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said the commission would have to approve any arrangement between Plainridge and a slots applicant.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Race against casino clock
Dengan url
http://sedangapasaja.blogspot.com/2013/08/race-against-casino-clock.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Race against casino clock
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar