THE RESIDENTS of the two Massachusetts communities whose dog tracks were closed by ballot referendum this year — Revere and Raynham — deserve a leg up in creating jobs through redevelopment. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, whose district includes both the now-defunct Wonderland dog track in Revere and East Boston’s Suffolk Downs horse track, proposes to allow slot machines at state racetracks. Such a move would create too few jobs and too many opportunities to feed the gambling addictions of vulnerable people.
The state owes local communities a better deal — the chance to attract businesses with the potential to grow and provide higher-paying jobs. Though such benefits will be farther off than the quick fix of slot machines, everyone would be better served by concentrating now on laying the groundwork for future success. That means having a detailed plan, with appropriate state incentives, to target industries with solid employment records.
DeLeo’s proposal is coupled with his willingness to support two or three destination casinos — full-scale entertainment venues with gambling, stage shows, shopping, and hotels — at sites to be determined by an independent commission. The idea would be to attract the hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents and other New Englanders who currently visit Connecticut casinos.
While it’s hard to ignore the potential for fueling gambling addictions at resort casinos, there’s a fundamental difference between creating a family-friendly resort and simply placing slot machines at racetracks. One represents an actual plan for economic growth through tourism; the other represents a quick profit for track owners, a slight gain for state tax revenues, and only limited potential, at best, for improving the surrounding community.
In Boston, the focus of most of the gambling interest is Suffolk Downs, the 75-year-old East Boston track where Seabiscuit once raced and the Beatles once performed. Currently conducting live racing only half the year, the aging, underutilized site is large enough to house a large casino, parking garages, and hotel in addition to a fully restored and upgraded racetrack. Nearby Wonderland, site of the former dog track, could be redeveloped for extra hotel space. If the casino were to become a destination for out-of-towners, it could introduce tens of thousands of people annually to historic Revere Beach and, possibly, other beaches and sites along the North Shore.
Still, having a resort casino at the end of the Blue Line could lure economically challenged people to risk what little resources they have. Such a casino could also suck business from other Boston-area restaurants and entertainment venues. But there is no need at this point to pass judgment on plans for Suffolk Downs. Even DeLeo agrees that casino proposals should be independently reviewed in competition with other sites throughout the area and state.
The measuring stick ought to be potential for true economic growth, including large numbers of high-paying jobs, against the threat that gambling can present to certain people. One thing is clear: Slot machines alone don’t meet the test.
