Interesting!
Gaming commissioner explains casino licensing procedure at Taunton breakfast
From left, Taunton City Councilor Don Cleary, Raynham Town Counsel Marc Antine and Rehoboth Town Administrator Jeff Ritter talk with State Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby at a Business and Economic Advisory Council meeting Wednesday morning, Aug. 8, 2012, organized and hosted by state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton. Crosby was the featured speaker.
Taunton —
The morning after announcing the availability of applications for would-be casino developers in the commonwealth, the state’s gaming czar came to Taunton to announce that the vetting process won’t be for the faint of heart.
Gaming commissioner Stephen Crosby said the application process, with its non-refundable $400,000 fee, will spare the state undue cost while at the same time ensuring the public that each candidate is beyond legal and ethical reproach.
Anytime, for instance, a background check takes into account whether one has certain scars or tattoos, Crosby told a breakfast gathering at Benjamin’s Restaurant, it’s a clear indication nothing is being left to chance.
“It’s a very detailed check,” he said.
Crosby said the initial application phase, wherein the commission ascertains the professional integrity of any prospective developer, will likely commence in mid-October.
That first phase of the process, he said, could take up to 90 days to complete.
The second application phase will focus on site specifics, and will allow a bidder three to six months to fine-tune their information and responses.
Crosby said dealing with international companies, in particular, is often a complicated, time-consuming and generally daunting undertaking.
He said, “It takes a long time to dig through the details,” making sure there’s no hint of money laundering or some other other legal impropriety.
The state’s Expanded Gaming Act of 2011 allows for the establishment of three resort casinos and one slot-machine parlor — with exclusivity extended to a recognized Native American tribe to establish a casino in the southeast region, also known as Region C.
Crosby said the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which has brokered agreements with the state and city of Taunton to build a $500 million resort casino in East Taunton, like other tribes is not required to submit to the same application procedure.
He added that a developer interested in establishing a slot parlor will also be subject to the same rules.
Crosby spoke Wednesday morning at a Business and Economic Advisory Council meeting organized and hosted by Taunton’s longtime Democratic state Sen. Marc Pacheco.
Pacheco, who has touted the proposed Wampanoag casino as an economic-development engine and jobs-creator for the entire region, also introduced and paid tribute to state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst.
Pacheco called Rosenberg, who is Senate president pro tem, the “point person” in terms of being a proponent of expanding gaming in the state.
Gaming commissioner Stephen Crosby said the application process, with its non-refundable $400,000 fee, will spare the state undue cost while at the same time ensuring the public that each candidate is beyond legal and ethical reproach.
Anytime, for instance, a background check takes into account whether one has certain scars or tattoos, Crosby told a breakfast gathering at Benjamin’s Restaurant, it’s a clear indication nothing is being left to chance.
“It’s a very detailed check,” he said.
Crosby said the initial application phase, wherein the commission ascertains the professional integrity of any prospective developer, will likely commence in mid-October.
That first phase of the process, he said, could take up to 90 days to complete.
The second application phase will focus on site specifics, and will allow a bidder three to six months to fine-tune their information and responses.
Crosby said dealing with international companies, in particular, is often a complicated, time-consuming and generally daunting undertaking.
He said, “It takes a long time to dig through the details,” making sure there’s no hint of money laundering or some other other legal impropriety.
The state’s Expanded Gaming Act of 2011 allows for the establishment of three resort casinos and one slot-machine parlor — with exclusivity extended to a recognized Native American tribe to establish a casino in the southeast region, also known as Region C.
Crosby said the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which has brokered agreements with the state and city of Taunton to build a $500 million resort casino in East Taunton, like other tribes is not required to submit to the same application procedure.
He added that a developer interested in establishing a slot parlor will also be subject to the same rules.
Crosby spoke Wednesday morning at a Business and Economic Advisory Council meeting organized and hosted by Taunton’s longtime Democratic state Sen. Marc Pacheco.
Pacheco, who has touted the proposed Wampanoag casino as an economic-development engine and jobs-creator for the entire region, also introduced and paid tribute to state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst.
Pacheco called Rosenberg, who is Senate president pro tem, the “point person” in terms of being a proponent of expanding gaming in the state.
Rosenberg said a resort casino is “the best model” to raise tax revenue for the state and a host community.
He also said it’s “unique” that the Mashpee Wampanoag are federally recognized but have still not had land put into trust with the Department of Interior.
Crosby noted that hurdles remain for the Mashpee Wampanoag in terms of potential court challenges.
He pointed to the example of KG Urban. A commercial entity interested in building a casino in New Bedford, it is mounting a challenge in federal district court questioning the constitutionality of granting priority to an Indian tribe to build a casino in southeastern Massachusetts.
Crosby said municipalities designated as “surrounding communities” can request access to as much as $25 million the commission sets aside for so-called mitigation fees — money that would be used to lessen any negative impact from a casino being established.
He also said the tribe’s compact with the state will be reviewed every 15 years.
“They need to be good citizens,” Crosby said, noting that “the compact can be completely renegotiated.”
He said the tribe’s financial backer, Genting Group of Malaysia, recognized as a world leader in terms of casino development, will likely be cooperative in accommodating concerns of a surrounding community.
And if the Bureau of Indian Affairs, for example, were to deem that the state — which is guaranteed a 21.5 percent take of all gambling proceeds — is taking undue advantage of the tribe then the compact would also be subject to being renegotiated with Gov. Deval Patrick.
But if that did in fact occur, Crosby said, it would “probably be a short bump in the road.”
He also said it’s “incredibly remote” that the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe of Gay Head in Martha’s Vineyard — which has expressed interest in establishing a resort casino in Fall River — will ever attain a compact with the governor.
Gov. Patrick previously has taken a stand against the tribe building a casino, claiming it essentially gave away any such right in 1983 due to the route it took to achieve federal recognition.
Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x739404313/Gaming-commissioner-explains-casino-licensing-procedure-at-Taunton-breakfast#ixzz23HOxJhTT
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment