Nunes to submit new Milford plans

From: Casino Free Milford

Revised plan for Milford casino to be presented by year’s end

Boston Business Journal by Thomas Grillo, Real Estate Editor

Date: Thursday, October 25, 2012

 

Thomas Grillo

Real Estate Editor- Boston Business Journal

A proposal to build a $650 million resort casino in Milford, Mass. ­— that many thought was dead — will be revived, according to a town official.

Courtesy of Warner Gaming.

Plans for a $650 million resort casino in Milford ­— that many thought was dead — will be revived, according to a town official.

Louis J. Celozzi, Milford’s town administrator, said David Nunes will bring his proposal for "Crossroads," a 26-acre complex off I-495 featuring a casino, hotel, bars and restaurants, back before the Board of Selectmen by year’s end. Under the proposal, Nunes would purchase a 600-acre site near Cedar Street and build an access road from the highway to the casino. The complex would feature a 267,000-square-foot casino and a 250-room hotel with retail amenities.

“David tells me he has a new investor, who he did not name, and he is planning to make a full presentation to the Board of Selectman before the Christmas holidays,” Celozzi said. “The old proposal was incomplete. I’m under the impression that when he comes to the board again he will bring actual plans.”

In 2009, Nunes and Warner Gaming presented initial plans for a casino in Milford, located 30 miles southwest of Boston. Under the plan at the time, Milford could net up to 5 percent of slot revenue.
Celozzi is convinced that a “good, solid proposal that would benefit the community” would enjoy support form a majority of residents. “It wont be unanimous, but it could be 60 to 40 in favor,” he said.

Nunes could not be reached for comment.

The state’s Gaming Commission will decide who will get the one casino license that is reserved for eastern Massachusetts. Suffolk Downs has already said it is seeking to build a Caesars-branded resort-style casino at the East Boston racetrack. The $1 billion development plan for the 163-acre site includes a hotel, restaurants, a casino, shops, entertainment areas, spa facilities and horse racing.

Under the proposal, a 300-room hotel would be built along with theater and nightclub venues, up to 10 restaurants, 200,000 square feet of gambling space with up to 5,000 slot machines, 200 table games and a World Series of Poker room. Suffolk Downs owners pledged $40 million to improve local roads and intersections to ease traffic woes.

Deadline for the first phase of the resort casino competition is Jan. 15, 2013.

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