Rolling the Dice

Coverage of casino licensing and the gambling referendum

All over before the casino vote in Springfield

By Gabrielle Gurley Current Affairs 0 Comments Jul 17, 2013

History did not repeat itself. With visions of dollars to city coffers dancing in their heads, Springfield voters weren’t about to chuck away MGM International’s $800 million casino opportunity.The MGM agreement got Springfielders’ seal of approval in Tuesday’s referendum campaign, 58 percent to 42 percent. MGM Springfield President Bill Hornbuckle called the outcome a(...)

Mashpee get Washington backing

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Feb 12, 2013

There are two ways of looking at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s long slog toward a tribal casino in Taunton. In the tribe’s view, they’re inching toward their federal approvals, renegotiating their gambling compact with the state, and winning over local support. They’re doing everything they’re supposed to do to secure the casino that will pay(...)

Casino deadline

By CommonWealth Staff Growth and Development 0 Comments Jan 15, 2013

The casino competition in Massachusetts gets real today. Would-be developers have until 5 pm Tuesday to apply for a casino license and submit a non-refundable $400,000 deposit. The deadline, which comes nearly a year after Massachusetts legalized casino gambling, marks the end of an extended period of quiet wrangling, maneuvering, lobbying and posturing, and the(...)

Women — can’t win without ’em

By Jack Sullivan Election 2012, Elections, Gateway Cities 0 Comments Oct 18, 2012

Everyone seems to be going after the women’s vote. But nobody, it appears, knows exactly what the “women’s vote” is except that they want it and it’s key to being elected. Women, after all, have consistently turned out in larger numbers than men for the presidential election since 1980. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are(...)

Casino could redevelop Springfield

By CommonWealth Staff Municipal Government 0 Comments Aug 22, 2012

MGM, proprietor of such upscale resorts as the Bellagio and the Luxor in Las Vegas, is making a run for the Western Massachusetts casino license. The company today will unveil plans for what amounts to a massive redevelopment of three downtown Springfield city blocks. Plans will include gambling facilities, an “entertainment district” featuring restaurants, performance(...)

South Coast casino fears

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Jul 17, 2012

For years, South Coast politicians were the lonely voices in the gambling wilderness. Even when legislative leadership stood solidly against legalizing casinos in Massachusetts, politicians from the state’s southeastern region would reliably push the issue, arguing that the area was in desperate need of large-scale investment, and casinos were as good a bet as anything(...)

Tribe and tribulation for Indian gaming

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Jun 19, 2012

Since Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law authorizing casino gambling last year, a giant contradiction has been hanging over the race for the state’s three casino licenses. The law carves out a license for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in the state’s southeastern region, provided the Legislature and the state gaming commission are confident in the(...)

Rhode Island rolls the dice

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Jun 15, 2012

If the tensions in Massachusetts over casino legislation seemed high, it’s really nothing compared to the time Rhode Island is having trying to stem the impending financial calamity that will come with expanded Bay State gambling. As it was becoming clear that Massachusetts would pass gambling legislation last year, Rhode Island lawmakers approved a referendum(...)

Get used to it: casino sparks are flying

By CommonWealth Staff Municipal Government 0 Comments Apr 24, 2012

The fight over casinos in Massachusetts is becoming less of a metaphor every day. Today’s Sun Chronicle reports on a dust-up between the Plainridge Racecourse, a harness racing track pursuing a slot machine license, and a Plainville resident who opposes gambling. The resident, Thomas Keen, said Monday that the track’s lawyers are threatening to sue(...)

Brimfield casino site not worth the stakes

By CommonWealth Staff Municipal Government 0 Comments Mar 28, 2012

Can’t get there from here. MGM Resorts International finally threw in its hand and decided to walk away from a $600 million project to build a hilltop gambling mecca in the small western Massachusetts town of Brimfield. The prospect of 3,000 jobs, a figure almost equal to the population of Brimfield itself, also vanished. MGM(...)