Coakley Rejects Casino Ballot Initiative

Has anyone conducted their due diligence on David Nunes?

Coakley Rejects Casino Ballot Initiative
By Brandon Butler
Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer

Attorney General Martha Coakley yesterday rejected an effort to allow a casino in Milford through a ballot initiative, but a gaming site could still be placed in Central Massachusetts if the state legislature approves pending casino legislation.

David Nunes, the Colorado-based developer who has proposed constructing an $850 million hotel and casino in the MetroWest community, submitted a petition to place a question on the state ballot that would authorize three casinos in the state, including one specifically in Milford.

Coakley, in a ruling yesterday, rejected the ballot initiative because it is "limited in its operation to particular geographic areas," by calling for a casino specifically in Milford.

The effort to allow casinos via a ballot question is separate from an ongoing debate on Beacon Hill about allowing casinos in the Bay State. That discussion is expected to intensify when legislators consider the issue this fall.

Nunes said he will still pursue acquiring one of the three licenses that the state would offer if the casino legislation becomes law.