Casino opponents begin to mobilize

Save people the trip to CT to get their dose of social ill and lets get these casinos up and running.

ok Do Gooders, go away, MA wants Casino's. I want a place where I can go every couple months for a legal game of poker or just for some mild enterntainment. I hate driving down to Foxwoods and spending my money in CT when I could spend it in MA.

These people should stop wasting their time and our time and money. Massachusetts *will* have casinos -- the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has been federally recognized and just needs a federal rubber-stamp to start building.

The problem is that since they don't require state approval, Massachusetts might see *zero* dollars from a Native American casion (aside from the jobs created). However, if we license casinos instead, the state will see millions in cash.

Face it -- casinos are coming, and there's no way to stop it. Why not at least have the state get some of the gravy? We could really use the cash, no?

NIMBY NIMBY NIMBY

If they don't like gambling, then don't go. Pretty simple. If it brings money into the state, and keeps my taxes from going up, all the better.

Casinos are a bad idea - but slots are toxic.
People need to get educated on the issue. Similar to the tobacco industry - the more you learn of the negative effects of gaming (what a misnomer! - it should be called 'ruining') to more you're likely to oppose it.

Ok unions - time for the "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" chant - no over exaggerated claim of 30,000 jobs is worth it.

"Progressive Traditions" as quoted by the Casino Free Mass organization does not pay for welfare, unemployment, or healthcare in the commonweatlh. CFM needs to get their head out of the sand and propose alternative ideas for revenue generation if they want to hold this position. Sitting on the sidelines and throwing darts will not solve the fiscal crisis this state has been in for the last decade.....

we need the casinos. it will create jobs and etc

OK , some of the commenters NEED their gambling entertainment-even if it is every now and then-and they want to spend their bucks in state.
Well let's build the casinos in your backyards then. You can also have the crime, prostitution, drug use and other organized crime 'events' that come with the casinos.
A real good form of entertainment that is similar to gambling would be to just drive by your local school, nursing home, rehab facility or battered women shelter and throw your dollars (or nickels or whatever) out the window. Then go home and try and find some real meaning to life instead of standing around a dark noisy cavernous lobby sticking coins in a slot and watching little symbols spin by. At least buy a video game, save the gas, order a pizza and think of someone else besides you and your immediate 'needs'. Go play poker with your friends like I used to in high school, and wager matchstick and have fun. NO ONE wins at a casino. NEVER. Try to tell me otherwise is just a big fish story, I do not believe you.

Some people just have a lot of time on their hands. I guess gambling is OK when the church or the state sponsers it !! We have had legalized gambling here for decades...race tracks, state lotteries, and church bingo. But when it comes to casinos it seems to motive a small minority in this state to political action. So they can digress on the social ills of gambling..how about the social ills of drinking, drug use, smoking, driving while using a cell phone...?? There are people who will abuse anything but that should not stand in the way of people who would like to patronize a Massachusetts based casino. As far as Bob DeLeo favoring slots at existing race tracks....that is nothing but a device to keep the race tracks in business. I would rather go to Foxwoods than Suffolk Downs....it is such a dump!!! So lets get the casino built and generate some jobs, tax revenue, and have some fun!! For those who oppose this you can vote with your wallet...just don't go but don't stand in my way...

Look at what happened to Twin Rivers in RI. They built it with $700 million and no one came. It will soon be bankrupt and the state of RI will have to bail it out. Great, let's build 3 casinos and go down the same path.

Think about how much money people will have to lose to pay for the lavish buildings, salaries, benifits and all this tax money the state wants. Most of the people losing are the least able to afford it. This is the most regressive way to raise money for the state that I can imagine. Of course, to the Democrats it all makes sense.

The last thing Massachusetts needs is casino gambling! We are in serious financial trouble. Our cities and towns are going to cut fire, police and school budgets! We don’t need to build a casino we need to save our cities and towns! Casinos don’t bring jobs…take a look at Rhode Island, CT and Los Vegas….they are all losing money! People don’t have it to spend it….things have changed! We should not take a chance building a casino with the hopes of the economy turning around….We can’t take that chance! This economy isn’t going to change in two or even three years. It’s going to be a long road back! People are losing their jobs and homes. We need to come up with a better plan than casinos!!

We don't need the criminal and trashy element that casinos will bring to Massachusetts. We need jobs, but not at that price.

So what happens if the Mashpee Wampanoag decide to build it anyway? Is the progrssive sate going to break law witht hem again and take back their land?

A "Progessive State" Ha! I didn't know it was possible to be a progessive puritan

Casinos will not "keep money in Massachusetts." The money will go to the balance sheets of Las Vegas casino companies, just as it does at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.

Casinos would, however, drain millions from existing tax-paying businesses in Massachusetts, offsetting any revenue-sharing agreement with the state.

MA and NH democrats in the legislature have spent like drunken sailors. MA & NH Dems have proposed one spending increase & new program after the other; THESE are Facts! Gov. Lynch and Patrick are very nice people. However, Gov. Lynch is not a leader & acts like an empty suit most of the time. Gov. Lynch has provided no leadership in cutting State (NH) spending. Corporate tax rates were high under both Republican Govornors & Gov. Lynch increased them slightly. Gov. Patrick is proposing an unfair casino bill that benefits his friends and Indian Casinos first.
The only solution is a 2 pronged approach: We. Need the 'Rockingham Casino' in NH & in MA a private run & owned casino
1- cut all state spending all Gov./municipal programs that are not essential. Note to NH Dems. stop welfare & state support for illegal aliens & deadbeats.
2- Allow casino gambling in Hampton/Seabrook, Berlin, Salem NH

Casino Free Mass:

Our growing coalition includes:
•The National Association on Mental Illness, Massachusetts Chapter;
•The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts;
•The National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter;
•The Massachusetts Catholic Conference;
•The Massachusetts Council of Churches;
•The Massachusetts Family Institute;
•The Interchurch Council of Greater New Bedford;
•The Muslim American Society, Boston Chapter;

Why is it always religion?

yeah!.let's build a mini Vegas in Taxachusetts. Not just gambling, but entertainment and hey why not...a place where you can also bring the family...;). I am up for it. Let's generate more jobs!.

Now is not the time to promote businesses that produce nothing but entertainment and just moves money around. That's not a good long-term investment. Can't we do better?

It would be nice to be treated like adults and given a choice as to how & where we spend our "entertainment" time. Giving money to CT just doesn't make sense when it's so badly needed here in MA!

Casinos in Nevada and New Jersey on the verge of bankruptcy. Casinos in Ct. laying off. How ridiculous to think they'll work here

The logic that "they are coming anyway so why shouldn't the state make money off it" is specious. You could say the same thing about prostitution, drugs, murder for hire, or any of a million other things that we don't want in Massachusetts. At some point, we have to ask ourselves how much we are willing to erode our society in order to make a few extra bucks. My opinion is that gambling is a bad thing for a society, and more of a bad thing is never a good thing. I can't stop other states from doing it, but that doesn't make it right. And that doesn't even factor in the fallacy of the economic "benefit" of gambling. The very people that need the tax benefits we would see from gambling, are the very ones who will spend the most at the casinos. The money doesn't come from nowhere....every penny a casino earns is a penny a citizen lost. The only thing that happens is that the middle men that run the casinos take a cut of the profits. So in the end, it is a very inefficient tax redistribution system (more going in than coming out.)

Terry is 100% right, the folks that have done their homework find that the costs far out-weigh the revenue. Don't rely on the headlines, or studies from the industry, like Spectrum Gaming, or polls done by Clyde (I love casinos) Barrow, or ones funded by the const. unions. If it sounds to good to be true ...
Please take the time to research. Visit casinofreemass.org or casinofacts.org

Jan,

The plan here is to put three licenses to build casinos out to bid in the private sector. All licensing fees would go to Massachusetts (I believe earmarked for local aid, please correct me if I'm wrong), and a cut of the gross receipts would also go to the Commonwealth.

All risk for the building and operation of the casinos would be born by the private entities who won the bidding. I don't know about the Twin River situation, but I don't see how there could even theortically be a bailout here. If the casino fails, it fails. The license will be put out for re-bid, and the next company can try to do a better job.

And as mentioned before, not sure why you think it's better to let the local Native American tribe build a casino and cut out the state. The casino is coming, just a question of whether or not you'd like some of the money to stay here.

Casinos or slots, that is the question? Let's face it one or the other is coming at some point. Why not let the state make some money from it (God knows we need it). Additionally why not try opening 1 up and see how it goes over a specified amount of time? The state has waited this long, what is five more years? If the numbers and the revenues do not pan out then you would only have one (casino or racino) established, which would make it easier to decide whether or not going forward on any expansion is prudent. Pretty simple stuff.

duval is in the pockets of the casinos thats why he is trying so hard to get them.As part of the bill the corrupt governor is going to make it a crime to play poker online,guess you have to eliminate the compatition

Hey Newton Lower Falls For Casinos,

Maybe in Newton it will bring crime prostitution and drug use, but some cities in MA already have those problems, so adding gambling really doesn't change much.

As a matter of fact we already have the gambling too. Try buying a gallon of milk at a local convenience store that has a Keno parlor working in the open. A casino could be age regulated, but the stuff that happens right now is happening right in front of young children.

I am for Casinos, but if it doesn't pass let's drop all gambling in MA not just pick and choose which is "less" tolerable.

Casinos are wealth drains. The odds are that the casino CRUSHES you. When people get desperate that long shot is their only shot. When the overwhelming majority of desperate people lose, who pays then? Who bails them out? We're bailing out irresponsible people today, why manufacture more.

As far as jobs, for every job created, fifty people lose wealth. Is that worth it? Think about an average night's take at a casino. For every dollar they pay out in wages, they take most likely 100 dollars of wealth from the community. I'd rather see jobs in construction or infrastructure where we can see the fruits of the labor not the damages of 100 fold.

Sure we're losing wealth to CT, but if we had three casinos here we'd lose significantly more wealth.

If people want to be treated like adults, we shouldn't be bailing out anyone. Being that our society is so irresponsible that the responsible has to bail out the irresponsible, we shouldn't empower the irresponsible any further. Hopefully the day will come when we don't have as many degenerate losers that think the world owes them a living.

As far as a solution to cover the revenue, have the State cut government spending plain and simple. They spend money like drunks at an open bar and they are so polluted that they want to introduce a source of harm to us and they know full well that it will be the poor that will be the desperate ones that make those long shots because it is their only hope. The casinos don't want the casual poker player who plays responsibly and cashes in on the free drinks, they make their money off the degenerates, the harships that will be the street pizza that the responsible will have to clean up and bail out.

Please point me to the drugs, crime, and prostitution at Foxwoods, then I might say you have a case for the social downfall brought on by casinos. And even if there was a case, please don't tell me how to spend my money and live my life. I'm an adult, this is America, let's leave the choices up to the people, not a few do gooders who think they know what's best for everyone else.

Jan,

The plan here is to put three licenses to build casinos out to bid in the private sector. All licensing fees would go to Massachusetts (I believe earmarked for local aid, please correct me if I'm wrong), and a cut of the gross receipts would also go to the Commonwealth.

All risk for the building and operation of the casinos would be born by the private entities who won the bidding. I don't know about the Twin River situation, but I don't see how there could even theortically be a bailout here. If the casino fails, it fails. The license will be put out for re-bid, and the next company can try to do a better job.

And as mentioned before, not sure why you think it's better to let the local Native American tribe build a casino and cut out the state. The casino is coming, just a question of whether or not you'd like some of the money to stay here.

The National Association on Mental Illness, Massachusetts Chapter &
The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts are religous organizations?
Next thing you know you'll start saying ACORN is an arborist society. LOL!
Which organizations are always the last ones to have to clean up and cousel the problem and addicted gamblers the state and casinos create. And, they don't do it on the taxpayer dime. It certainly isn't Trump Entertainment.

Not In Anyone's Back Yard!

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is going to build some sort of gaming facility. The only question is what kind of gaming they will be allowed to have. Seems the best solution is to just allow them to have a full casino instead of the more limited bingo slots that they could do as soon as the Feds rubber stamp the status of their reservation. That would be something that the state could use to negotiate a better revenue sharing deal, similar to the one Connecticut has with Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. If I remember correctly that equates to about 10% of slot revenue, but I would say that 10% of all gaming revenue would be better. That money could then go to local aid.

Many of these commeters would do well on Beacon Hill. It is always about revenue while ignoring the actual costs. The Big Dig is cheap compared to what casinos will cost the state.

"A state with a proud progressive tradition should not be endorsing -- and profiting from -- an industry that systematically destroys lives," wrote the group's president, Richard Young.

What a joke this line is. The state runs the biggest lottery in the country. That's real progressive. Somehow 7500 lottery outlets throughout the state don't destroy lives but a couple of casinos do.

The anti-casino crowd is completely fraudulent. They only care about casinos to the extent they might taint their liberal bona fides at next year's daily kos convention.

Sal DiMasi single handedly saved poor and working class people from having untold millions and millions of dollars stolen from them by corporate thug quasi-criminal casino facilities. You will rue the day if casinos ever appear in MA. Take a trip up to Montreal, that cosmospolitan city. On Christmas Eve, you will be saddened to see all the people in cars winding their way to the casino. Pathetic to even consider such a low-life form of entertainment for such a historic and progressive place as the Commonwealth,

How stupid and single minded are these people? Resort gambling destinations create countless jobs, steady tax revenues and a continuous renewal and upkeep of surrounding infrastructure.

They don’t want casinos because of the crime and negative social issues that follow gambling – maybe they could create programs to help the few people who need it and actually get folks back into the churches people have fled for so many reasons.

See – casinos are good for everyone, even you.

STOP TRYING TO RUN OUR LIVES. BUILD THE CASINOS AND SAVE US THE LONG TRIP TO FOXWOODS, MOHEGAN SUN OR FOR THAT MATTER THE RACINOS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT IS OUR LIFE AND OUR MONEY AND NONE OF THE BUSINESS OF ANY OF THE RELIGIOUS GROUPS.

The problem will be DeLeo. Putting slots in decaying tracks will only promote the type of addictive behavior opponents are worried about.

Building destination resort casinos is a great idea. They can serve as vacation/business/convention locations. It's not about the gambling, it's about bringing business into the state (or keeping it here, rather than giving it to CT).

When you plan your next business retreat, would you go to Wonderland or Mohegan Sun? DeLeo, stop ONLY thinking about your constituents and think big picture.

If casinos are not making it in RI or CT, why on earth build them here?? Invest in infrastructure, education, clean energy, biotechnology, etc. etc.

Patrick has done nothing- nothing- for the state. He convinced progressives he'd lead with intelligence, but the failed regressive casino idea is the only thing he's come up with. Then he tries to ride the coattails of Obama. What a huge disappointment for Massachusetts voters.

Yes, we need more jobs dealing blackjack and making beds. That's exactly when we need...ugh.

Whether gambling comes or not is of no consequence to me. I just do not think our brilliant legislators should balance the budget on the proceeds. It should be used for one time moneys so Mass does not get into trouble other states are in during the hard times and whose budget depends on the money. Time for the big hacks like Pacheco and others to work for their money and come up with new ways to create revenues rather than whine about needng casinos. They whine because they are receiving such money in contributions. Again if casinos come is not the issue, it's the money and what politician they will own because of the campaign money they give out. Time for the special interest to end! Time for our elected officials to start working for the people again! Time to take back our government. Time for term limitations! End the greed!

We need manufacturing jobs. NOT CASINOS!

Fine lets not have casinos and lets all go to a catholic church to get our jollies playing bingo, better yet lets all go out and see if we actually win something on the state lottery? Ha! You guys need to wake up and smell the coffee, the catholic church is not benefiting the state when you play there and the state lottery...if you have the wrong zip code you aint winning that, ask the folks in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan, vs Medford, Malden, and Melrose, just check the website! Give me and even shot at having fun, being entertained, and actually, possibly winning something!

These opponets of gambling need to get off their high horses and see reality. FredJay said it the best in a previous post. If these churches are so worried about gambling then they should stop their bingo nights. Is this not gambling???? The state should stop the lottery but they will never do that. The state wants gambling but only what they can control. In the last few years the state decreased the amount of time between Keno games so they could get more business. The state also started two daily numbers. Let's not kid each other about the states view on gambling..
Gambling will not create a drug and crime problem. Take a walk out of your office and church and look outside. We already have a drug and crime problem. The Gambling industry is not putting oxy's or heroin into our youths. Let's get creative and take some of the money from the new casinos and put it toward treatment. In the last ten years most of the government money for drug treatment has been cut over and over and over again. Try finding a bed for a drug user who wants to get help.

It's true that the casinos in CT are hurting. I was up there for the superbowl and you could see the difference a year makes. No matter how much they're hurting, they're still getting about 1/3 of their clients from Massachusetts. Let's keep the money in Massachusetts. If people want to gamble they are going to gamble. You have the lottery, church bingo, online betting, local bookies and the casinos. So if you want to ban casinos and gambling in massachusetts it's time to put up of shut up.

Why stop with gambling? Let's legalize prostitution too! I mean, after all, we're adults, we should be able to choose. Besides it's going on already, we might as well tax it. Let's go for drug sales too. I mean, what the heck, it ruins a few lives but we're adults. we should be able to chose. And, we all know that drugs are being sold anyway, so let's make it legal and make some money off it.

You people always think so small.

Do you know why Twin Rivers is really going down the tubes? It is because RI politicians got greedy and want more than a fair share of the revenues and the amount they want will leave little for the running of the casino and any reasonable amount of payoffs.. This comes from the mouth of a Twin Rivers exec. As for Mass. - if they built it, they will come; if they do not, they will continue to go...

The race tracks are the way to go. They have the room and it wont take to much to put 2000 slot machines in a building thats all ready there. It would be
up and running in no time. you not only increase the number of people that would be employed you also would keep the ones that are all ready employed for racing. as far as security , I dont seem to read about any big problems at the race tracks about people being robbed or mugged.

Casinos are not a magic bullet. Rhode Island has one, and the state is trying to bail it out.

My husband's best friend lives in New London CT, very close to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. They haven't helped the city at all. The area still lives and dies by Electric Boat, the sub base (which the goverment tries to close every few years), and the Coast Guard academy.

The Mashpee will build NOTHING in Middleborough. Their financial backers are broke, the tribe is in disarray and the Feds will not approve their land to trust application, as it meets none of the criteria set forth in the IGRA.
Casino proponents will try to use the myth of inevitability to further their cause. DO NOT BE FOOLED. These same folks have been trying to expand gaming in MA for years and have failed.

Slot machines are designed to take advantage of the weakest in our society. They are designed to manipulate you into playing to extinction.

This is no way to fund our government.

It will only take money away from local businesses, increase addiction, bankruptcy, foreclosure and crime.

NO CASINOS IN MA

Don't ,for one minute, believe that Foxwood and Mohegaan Sun are losing money. Yes.they are down from last year but, they are quite healthy. As far as Twin River,Rhode Island is not trying to subsidise it, they are considering buying it because of the revenue it has already generated for the state. It is strange how people will bend the facts when they are opposed to something.