...don’t call it economic development.
Milford casino plan moves forward as Foxborough proposal is dropped
Photos
This drawing shows what the outside of the casino proposed by developer David Nunes would look like in Milford.
MILFORD —
With a proposal to build a resort casino in Foxborough coming to a halt on Tuesday, plans to build a Milford casino continue to move forward.
“I am optimistic that we will have a great team put together. That’s what I am working on now,” said Colorado-based developer David Nunes.
Nunes hopes to build a $700 million, 300,000-square-foot casino at the junction of Rte. 16 and Interstate 495.
Nunes said that he and his team are putting together a financing plan. He said when he makes his next announcement to selectmen, “We’re going to be set, ready to go and fully financed. There won’t be any questions about our capabilities.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft and hotel magnate Steve Wynn decided to suspend plans for a $1 billion casino on Rte. 1 following Monday’s town election in Foxborough, in which two casino opponents were elected as selectmen.
Nunes said the suspension of the casino in Foxborough was anticipated by anyone who was close to what was going on with casinos in Massachusetts. He said with Foxborough out of the picture there is now going to be very limited competition to build a casino in eastern Massachusetts. The biggest competition is coming from developers who are eyeing the Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston as a potential casino site.
Milford Selectman William Buckley questions the seriousness of Nunes’ proposal. “They have done absolutely nothing since they engaged the town,” he said. “Anybody can put together a proposal, can put together drawings. The numbers is something I have not seen at this point.”
State Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, agrees. “David Nunes came in and made a preliminary proposal to the community to bring a casino in town. But nothing has been brought forward since.”
Fernandes said no casino in the state would move forward unless the people want it
. “I don’t think there is a need or want to build a casino in Milford,” he said. “There has been no expression that the residents of Milford want a casino.”
Buckley said that he would need to see the size of the casino before he can judge whether the town could handle its impact.
“I am prepared to listen,” he said.
Nunes said he has a unique opportunity in Milford because the town has on and off ramps to I-495 and no traffic issues. The plan also calls for a dedicated on and offramp from I-495 to the casino. He said because the plan is on the eastern side of the town, “after you build the on ramp you end up with a thousand acres of conservation, next to the town of Holliston, so the impact to the town as a whole is much, much, much smaller.”
“I am optimistic that we will have a great team put together. That’s what I am working on now,” said Colorado-based developer David Nunes.
Nunes hopes to build a $700 million, 300,000-square-foot casino at the junction of Rte. 16 and Interstate 495.
Nunes said that he and his team are putting together a financing plan. He said when he makes his next announcement to selectmen, “We’re going to be set, ready to go and fully financed. There won’t be any questions about our capabilities.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft and hotel magnate Steve Wynn decided to suspend plans for a $1 billion casino on Rte. 1 following Monday’s town election in Foxborough, in which two casino opponents were elected as selectmen.
Nunes said the suspension of the casino in Foxborough was anticipated by anyone who was close to what was going on with casinos in Massachusetts. He said with Foxborough out of the picture there is now going to be very limited competition to build a casino in eastern Massachusetts. The biggest competition is coming from developers who are eyeing the Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston as a potential casino site.
Milford Selectman William Buckley questions the seriousness of Nunes’ proposal. “They have done absolutely nothing since they engaged the town,” he said. “Anybody can put together a proposal, can put together drawings. The numbers is something I have not seen at this point.”
State Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, agrees. “David Nunes came in and made a preliminary proposal to the community to bring a casino in town. But nothing has been brought forward since.”
Fernandes said no casino in the state would move forward unless the people want it
. “I don’t think there is a need or want to build a casino in Milford,” he said. “There has been no expression that the residents of Milford want a casino.”
Buckley said that he would need to see the size of the casino before he can judge whether the town could handle its impact.
“I am prepared to listen,” he said.
Nunes said he has a unique opportunity in Milford because the town has on and off ramps to I-495 and no traffic issues. The plan also calls for a dedicated on and offramp from I-495 to the casino. He said because the plan is on the eastern side of the town, “after you build the on ramp you end up with a thousand acres of conservation, next to the town of Holliston, so the impact to the town as a whole is much, much, much smaller.”
The proximity to Holliston is a problem for Holliston Selectman Jay Marsden who said the proposed location has been squeezed into a certain area. He has doubts that the area would have the infrastructure to support a casino.
“There is already a lot of traffic there now. The roads aren’t built to be able to handle it,” he said.
Nunes said building the casino in Milford would help grow local businesses and provide the town with real estate tax payments. He also said it would create jobs locally, including casino and construction jobs.
But Marsden said neighboring Holliston would not receive those benefits. “Other than mitigation money there is no tax money coming our way,” he said. “There is more opportunities in this for the host town than there is for us.”
Still Marsden said Holliston would welcome the opportunity to speak to Milford and the developers about the possibility of a casino being built in the area.
“I would rather see it somewhere else,” said Todd Cestari, a Hopkinton selectman. He said the casino would not be good for the vitality of the town, which borders Milford to the north.
“It’s not adding to the culture of the area and we are very concerned about it,” he said.
Nunes’ proposal for a $700 million first phase would have 300 hotel rooms, a 125,000-square-foot gaming floor, shops, restaurants, surface parking and a five-story parking garage. The proposal says the project would initially create 3,000 jobs. The casino would ultimately expand to include 5,000 slots, 250 table games, several thousand hotel rooms and up to 13 restaurants.
Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1809313767/Milford-casino-plan-moves-forward-as-Foxborough-proposal-is-dropped#ixzz1uUAnVQzB
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