gambling

Bringing the battle against a Suffolk Downs casino to Revere

adamg — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:30:20 +0000

The Revere Journal reports on one man's campaign against the proposed Suffolk Downs casino, which would be mostly in East Boston, but enough in Revere that that city gets to vote on allowing it as well.

Casino opponents to meet

adamg — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:44:06 +0000

No Eastie Casino holds an open house on Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 303 Paris St., in East Boston.

Boston gets a gaming commission of its very own

adamg — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:23:17 +0000

Mayor Menino today announced a Host Community Advisory Committee to consider the ramifications of a proposed resort casino at Suffolk Downs, chaired by Brian Leary, partner at McCarter and English (and, yes, former Channel 5 reporter).

Other members: Sarah Barnat, VP of development, National Development (and East Boston resident); Lisa Calise, CFO, Perkins School for the Blind (and former top financial aide to the mayor); and Ronald L. Walker II, president and founding partner of Next Street.

City Council may try to raise stakes in Filene's Hole battle

adamg — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:55:30 +0000

The Herald reports the City Council has formed a special committee on gambling. Part of its role will be to figure out if everybody in Boston should vote on allowing a casino at Suffolk Downs, but it may also attempt to leverage Vornado Realty Trust's 20% ownership of Suffolk Downs into getting it to do something about the Hole, of which it is the majority owner.

Casino mogul thinks Foxboro residents opposed to his plans are in the employ of Suffolk Downs

adamg — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:50:01 +0000

The Herald quotes would-be Foxboro casino owner Steve Wynn about a weekend protest by Foxboro and Walpole residents:

That protest was put on by our competitors.

The mayor vs. the Krafts

adamg — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:54:31 +0000

The Herald reports on the looming battle royale between Tom Menino, who wants a casino at Suffolk Downs, and Robert Kraft, who wants a casino next to his football stadium/mall in Foxboro.

Governor signs casino/slots bill and, naturally, somebody promptly sues

adamg — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:46:04 +0000

The Globe reports a developer upset the law gives preference for a casino in the southeastern part of the state barely waited for Deval Patrick's signature to dry before filing a federal lawsuit.

Happy hours are here again?

adamg — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:34:27 +0000

A state senator who owns a bar has added a provision to a proposed casino law that would let every bar in the state offer happy hours as a way to compete with casinos that would be allowed to offer free boozes to loosen up their customer's wallets.

Wicked Local reports the Senate passed Sen. Bob Hedlund's happy-hour amendment, which now goes to a House/Senate conference committee. The Senate rejected a proposed ban on free drinks at casinos. Happy hours have been banned in Massachusetts since the Dukakis era.

Should entire city get to vote on casino in East Boston?

adamg — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:38:57 +0000

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz wants to extend a referendum provision of the proposed state gambling bill from the area immediately around a casino to an entire municipality. The Dorchester Reporter explains why everybody in Boston should have a say in whether Suffolk Downs becomes a casino.

The connection between the Hole and a casino at Suffolk Downs

adamg — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:01:43 +0000

Could the BRA's sudden kissie-kissie with evil Hole overlord Vornado have anything to do with Vornado's part ownership of the group that wants to build a casino at Suffolk Downs - the one the mayor is betting on? Jason Schwartz assumes 2+2=4.

Place your bets: East Boston vs. Milford

adamg — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:27:20 +0000

The Herald reports the mayor continues to back plans for a resort casino at Suffolk Downs, but that he'll have to fight off Milford, which is also expected to put in a bid for a gambling emporium.

Ed. question: The Herald actually says the racetrack's owners want to build a "resort-style casino." How is that different from a plain old "resort casino?"

What are the odds of a casino at Suffolk Downs?

adamg — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:41:00 +0000

House overwhelmingly passes casino bill.

Gambling companies flood state with lobbying money

adamg — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:57:05 +0000

The Globe reports.

Patrick bets against slots

adamg — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:16:21 +0000

Technically, the governor has ten days to sign the casino/slots bill passed by the legislature last night. But the odds against that are pretty high. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, whose district would likely get both a resort casino (Suffolk Downs) and a slots parlor (Wonderland) vowed to raise the stakes if Patrick "amends" the bill (sends it back to the legislature with proposed changes; effectively killing it).

Or even if he does sign it, he can do what he wants because of an apparent mistake with a single word in the section of the bill setting up a gambling commission, the Outraged Liberal informs us.

Meanwhile, Ross Levanto writes that all the dithering over casinos means Massachusetts lost out on a federal stimulus program to encourage small-business job creation.

Slots AND casinos!

adamg — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:20:41 +0000

Gambling, gambling, gambling! The Globe reports legislators have come up with a plan to allow three resort casinos and slots at two tracks. Now let's see if the governor signs off.

Hmm: Suffolk Downs is a track, but it, and the mayor, want a resort casino there. So that wouldn't count toward those slots licenses, no?