Bay State gamers would welcome a shorter trip
Some say casinos near home mean more gambling
LEDYARD, Conn. - As he strode toward the Foxwoods casino yesterday afternoon, Joe Kearney smiled as though he were seeing an old friend. He used to drive the hour-and-a-half from Weymouth to the Connecticut resort almost every week to hit the tables, and it had been too long. An all-night reunion was almost certainly, well, in the cards.
So it is not surprising that Kearney, 24, smiled even more brightly at the thought of casinos being built in his home state. All good friends should stay close, he said.
"Oh, man, I'd be psyched," he said. "There's not a game I don't like. And free drinks all night."
As the debate on legalizing casinos in Massachusetts intensified on Beacon Hill and across the state, gambling enthusiasts were united in support and eager anticipation.
From high rollers driving Hummers to slot jockeys on Social Security, those shunning yesterday's late-summer day for the undying neon light of the casino floor said the gambling emporiums would help the state's economy, if not necessarily theirs.
"If I'm going to give them my money, we might as well keep it in Massachusetts," said Stephanie Lemon of Bellingham, who was celebrating her fourth anniversary with her husband, Peter.
John Rusinowski, 44, a veteran of the hour-plus drive to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods from Chicopee, said he was thrilled to hear that developers were eyeing his hometown as a prime location for a casino.
He would get a jolt of adrenaline with easy casino access, and the region would get an economic shot in the arm, Rusinowski said. "A lot of industries have gone, and it would bring in a lot of jobs and taxes."
His wife, Michelle, however, said she suspected that proximity to a casino might have a downside.
"We'd probably go more often if it was in our backyard," she said. "Hmm. I don't know if that's a good thing."
Many Massachusetts gamers said they would gladly donate some of their hard-earned money to the casino if it meant paying less in taxes. At least with gambling, they said, there is a chance of winning.
"House taxes going up every year - anything to stop that would be a blessing," said Bruce Butler, 54, of Berkley. "Got to pay for that Big Dig somehow."
With as many as 1 in 4 Foxwoods visitors from Massachusetts, casino employees said business would surely suffer if Massachusetts opens its doors to commercial gambling.
"It would hurt significantly," said William Flanagan, who manages the "Wampum points" earned by frequent patrons. "Look at the plates," he continued, waving his hand across a parking lot filled with nearly as many cars from New York and Massachusetts as Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Flanagan said Massachusetts patrons are already using the potential new casinos in their home state to angle for better treatment. "The customer base is saying you've got to treat us well, now that there's going to be competition," he said. "You've got to raise the stakes."
But many loyal Foxwoods patrons said the Massachusetts casinos would have to be top-shelf to compete with the casino's vast shopping and entertainment offerings.
"It's not just gambling; it's a little bit of everything," said Bonnie Veeder, 64, who visits Foxwoods from Cuttyhunk Island about once a month. "When you're losing, you've got somewhere to bounce to. I kind of just stumble along and pass the day away."
Veeder, a self-described "slot lady" said she starts with nickel bets and, if she starts winning, moves to quarters. "That means I usually stick with nickels."
Rick Stolar, 48, from Chicopee, said he was looking forward to his usual pastrami sandwich as much as placing a few bets.
A "faithful citizen" of Foxwoods, he said he has heard about the possibility of a Chicopee casino, but said the trip is part of the excitement.
"It's a getaway thing," he said. "Still, maybe I'd go on the way home."
Preparing to drive back to Spencer after winning $90 from the slots, Steven Herring, 54, summed up the gambling community's thoughts on bringing casinos to Massachusetts.
"The more the merrier," he said.
Peter Schworm can be reached at schworm@globe.com. 