Thursday, 4:30 PM
Will Middleborough gamble on a casino?
By Claire Cummings, Globe Correspondent
As many as 10,000 townspeople are expected to assemble today for a much-anticipated Town Meeting to decide whether Middleborough will be the site of a casino.
Residents, who will convene outdoors on the high school athletic fields, will be asked whether they want to approve an agreement between town selectmen and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe that calls for the town to receive at least $11 million a year for hosting the $1 billion resort casino.
Supporters of the project say the deal will be a boon to the town, bringing updated infrastructure at no cost to taxpayers, and increasing commercial development.
Opponents are worried that the casino will snarl traffic, increase crime in the area, and harm their rural community’s character.
The Globe reports today that many of the town's elderly voters may stay away because of concerns about the sultry weather, the length of the meeting, and worries that the debate might get out of hand.
