Episcopals oppose resort casino in Springfield
By Stephanie Barry, The Republican
The Republican
on October 20, 2012
The Rev. J. Peter Swarr, rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in East Longmeadow, is shown here after his appointment in 2009.
SPRINGFIELD - Episcopalians in Springfield formally came out against a casino within the city limits after the 111th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts on Saturday.
Members unanimously passed a resolution to oppose casino gambling in Massachusetts, but leaders said they recognize the tide has largely turned in favor of casino gaming. The diocese is particularly averse to placing a resort casino in Springfield.
"We don't like any of it. Christians by and large oppose state-sanctioned gambling because of the harm it causes, but we realize that ship has sailed," said the Rev. J. Peter Swarr, rector of St. Mark's Episcopal church in East Longmeadow.
A statewide casino bill has authorized up to three casinos across the state with one slated for Western Massachusetts. Three companies have proposals to develop casinos in Springfield, and a fourth is pursuing a site in Palmer.
Officials of the city that had an unemployment rate of 11.2 percent during the last report have embraced the possibility of a casino within Springfield limits. Proposals include eliminating blighted properties, hiring thousands of workers, linking to key city locations and boosting other businesses and entertainment venues within Springfield.
MGM Resorts is proposing a casino in Springfield's South End, while Penn National Gaming has a site in the North End and Ameristar Casinos Inc. has purchased property off Interstate 291 in East Springfield. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority has chosen a site of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Palmer for potential development.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno termed the three potential players in Springfield as all “world class.” Development proposals are topping $800 million.
Swarr said he spent more than three years at a church in Detroit, where a similar casino scenario played out and boosters pitched the concept as the only economic savior for a floundering city in desperate need of jobs.
"All kinds of places came in and they made wonderful promises, including places like MGM, and if you haven't noticed: Detroit is not the new Las Vegas," Swarr said.
Michigan voters approved a proposal to build casinos in Detroit in 1996 and three cropped up in the city since - Greektown Casino, MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino, with a fourth a short distance outside Detroit.
The Greektown Casino filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010 - just about a decade since it first opened its doors. The site has struggled to recover with a new management group.
Swarr said the resort casinos in Detroit offered minimum wage jobs and captured most foot traffic from other local businesses, particularly restaurants, which he said suffered after the casinos opened.
"We see Springfield as a microcosm of what we saw in Detroit," Swarr said. "Casinos don't create wealth. Yeah, they create minimum wage jobs."
And, as people of faith, he said, they believe the potential for gambling addictions and draining of already scant budgets will cause harm in a poverty stricken city.
According to the resolution passed at the convention at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, the diocese is resolved to "educate our members and our communities about the negative impact casinos will have," work to minimize the negative impact, "in particular by opposing a casino in Springfield," and "undertake a period of study, prayer, and conversation around the issue of casino gambling."
Swarr said a diocesan task force will prepare materials, resources and discussion guides for study and prayer around the issue over Lent, which begins 40 days before Easter Sunday.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/episcopals_against_casino_in_s.html
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4 comments:
Thank God at least one Christian Minister is speaking out! The man deserves a sainthood! xoox
In fairness, our religious community has been wonderfully supportive of the opposition because they will bear the brunt of the impacts.
The resolution was submitted to the convention by two lay and two clergy delegates. Several clergy and lay delegates provided powerful testimony during the discussion. Because the amendment was passed unanimously, many clergy (ministers) indeed spoke out. An ad hoc committee will be gathering study materials. The parish of St. James in Great Barrington and our partner parish St. George (of Lee)spent several weeks educating our congregations and many letters were written to our legislators (Downing and Pignatelli) who did not vote for the 3-casino deal. Now we have some more work to do! Thanks to you all for keeping us abreast of things.
Many of us juggle our lives and posting in various places to provide information.
You'll note that on the right side of this blog there is a category list, as well as links to other opposition groups around the nation.
Opposition is GROWING!
If you send your email address to me, I will provide additional information that might be helpful.
You are NOT alone and there are many waiting to assist.
We will be working to collect signatures to REPEAL THE CASINO DEAL! and allow voters to have a voice on the issue.
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