This scenario is repeating itself in the stupidity of some inept folks in Fall River who have rushed a deal cloaked in secrecy, refusing to admit their lack of expertise.
Instead of having the sense to appoint a Study Committee that could/might consider the far-ranging impacts of a Slot Parlor in their midst that would reveal to them the impacts are multi-millions of dollars, this bunch is instead proceeding, failing to consider the costs.
Note to Fall River: You might find the reports that examined the impacts and are posted here - United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts of value.
Sorry Fall River! You're about to get screwed by incompetence!
Redevelopment Authority aims to finalize casino land sale
By Michael Holtzman
Herald News Staff Reporter
FALL RIVER — Nearly two months after reaching a tentative agreement to sell 300 acres next to Route 24 to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe for an envisioned casino resort, the Redevelopment Authority will meet today with hopes of finalizing the deal.
Is that the one that hasn't been made public? The terms of which haven't been discussed in public?
The meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Office of Economic Development on the sixth floor of Government Center.
Redevelopment Authority Chairman William Kenney said their lawyers finalized contract details of the $21 million conditional sale on Friday. Kenney said he and member Ronald Rheaume went over the contract “line by line” for 1½ hours earlier this week with Jeffrey Ray, one of the two Providence lawyers hired as consultants.
And they've negotiated how many Indian Casino contracts? They've negotiated how many casino contracts?
“The big question, as far as I’m concerned, is sovereign immunity, and what rights does the tribe have when they take title?” Kenney, a city lawyer, said.
A city lawyer negotiating a Tribal Casino contract? Duh?
He’s particularly concerned about whether as a sovereign nation the Mashpee Wampanoags would be exempt from federal, state and local laws, particularly as it pertained to environmental and labor laws, he said.
If they were exempt, “it would be like dealing with a foreign country,” Kenney said.
No kidding, Sherlock! Why don't you recommend that they retain an attorney who specialies in Indian Gaming Law? This is the price of stupidity:
Tribe Renegs on $50 Million Bond
He said Ray and attorney William Devereaux, working on the agreement, said the tribe would need to follow those laws under the contract language.
Among provisions the Redevelopment Authority added when it tentatively approved the deal on May 26 was that all environmental laws be followed and city voters approve the land tract for a casino.
“It was stated in terms I didn’t find explicit enough,” Kenney said of the document that’s taken far more than the week or two he predicted it would in May. He said Wednesday he was awaiting further clarification from their lawyers with gaming and land expertise.
On the Redevelopment Authority signing a contract that has not been made public, he said, “A decision may be made Thursday, or the board may need further clarification.”
The Redevelopment Authority’s initial vote was 4-1 with member Ann Keane opposing the agreement because it removed the park from its planned use as a bio-manufacturing park.
The state committed $17 million in funding, the bulk of it for the University of Massachusetts to build a bio-processing facility for pilot projects in life sciences.
That plan has remained in limbo since Mayor Will Flanagan presented an agreement in principal with the Mashpee Wampanoags in early May. Various community leaders and politicians strongly criticized the long-planned use for a bio-park.
At this time, the critical component of legalizing casino gambling in Massachusetts remains in limbo. The key sticking point is whether to allow racetrack slot machines.
Finding a compromise bill remains before a six-member House and Senate conference committee.
A version of the bill approved by the House in April would license two resort-style casinos and allow 750 slots at each of the state’s racetracks.
A Senate bill approved in June would license three casinos, one in each of three geographic regions of the state, but maintain the state’s existing ban on racetrack slots.
One hurdle Fall River did scale was legislative approval to revoke prohibiting use of the 300 acres for casino gambling. That restriction was part of an agreement the city reached with the state on a more far-reaching land sale and transfer.
Kenney said basic premises of the May 26 agreement remained in place. They included that the city receive $100,000 when the pact was signed and another $100,000 in two parts this summer.
Most of the money, $20.8 million, would be paid at closing. There would be either a year or an 18-month window to complete the deal.
“It was our goal for it not to be open-ended forever, but to give the mayor and tribe a reasonable opportunity to see if it can work out,” Kenney said.
Kenney said it would be his aim for discussion at today’s meeting to remain in open session. Kenney stated the same thing two months ago when the RDA, with legal advice, met in executive session to discuss the contract.
The RDA set a cap of $10,000 for outside legal services to Ray and Devereaux. “I don’t believe we’re close to that yet,” Kenney said.
Is this the dumbest thing you've ever heard?
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