It's Wampum Points at Foxwoods. Mohegan Sun has card-carrying members of its Players Club. Next to come: Suffolk Points?
Starting next year, Suffolk Downs plans to reward its biggest gamblers with points that will increase with the size and regularity of their bets. The more they wager, the more Suffolk Downs will dole out points, which could be redeemed for discount coupons good at restaurants, hotels, and retail shops.
The points system mirrors incentives at casinos, which build business by treating their high rollers to steak dinners and free hotel rooms. It demonstrates the racetrack's aspirations to expand and build a resort casino of its own under Governor Deval Patrick's proposal to legalize gaming in three regions of Massachusetts, including metropolitan Boston.
Track officials are still talking to local businesses about signing on, but they plan to start promoting the point pro gram early next year.
"Suffolk Points" is just a working name, and may not be how the points are eventually branded, track officials said.
"If someone has to bet $1,000 to get a program that costs $1.50, it's not going to work," said Chip Tuttle, the track's chief operating officer. "But if a customer can go to the North End with a $100 gift certificate to Lucia or Il Panino, that's a nice perk."
The plan also makes political sense for track operators. It allows them to reach out financially to potential casino opponents in Boston's restaurant and tourist industry who fear that a casino at Suffolk Downs would steal business.
Several studies have suggested that casinos in areas with a healthy tourist base can hurt local businesses, by siphoning off tourist clientele and also drawing local residents.
By crafting a partnership program, Suffolk officials are trying to enlist local businesses to back their casino proposal.
"I have seven businesses, and I would sign on in a minute," said Frank DePasquale, president of the North End Chamber of Commerce.
"If you look at Atlantic City or Foxwoods, they swallow up most of the economy around the casinos," he added. "But this is a way to balance that out."
Under the governor's proposal, a casino could locate in Boston only if voters approve it in a binding referendum. Having the support of the business community would be vital during a referendum campaign in which others, including urban clergy and some key legislators, would be adamantly opposed.
Suffolk officials have been meeting with business owners and local chamber of commerce representatives. The track's new principal owner, Richard T. Fields, met recently at Legal Sea Foods with Peter Christie, president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, which has been opposed to the governor's casino proposal.
Track officials say that in addition to the points program, they are considering which restaurants and retail shops could get space in any expansion at Suffolk Downs. Track officials are also working on a program that would commit Suffolk Downs to contracting with local vendors.
But with casinos in Massachusetts years away, if at all, the beneficiaries of Suffolk's programs for the time being would be the hundreds of cigar-chomping men who trek to the track nearly every day.
Several other racetracks have similar programs designed to reward their regulars, although most of their incentives can be redeemed only where earned.
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
