After appointing a Palmer Citizens Casino Study Committee that determined the annual cost to host the proposed Gambling Shack [a smaller version than the extravaganza currently proposed], would be ......
$18 MILLION to
$39 MILLION
not including the estimated $50 MILLION to bring water from the Quabbin
The Town Fathers buried the REPORT!
Genuflecting before the Predatory Gambling Gods that promised Pigs Could Fly......
they ignored their responsibilities to their community.
They neglected to conduct their Due Diligence, ask questions, as did the media!
The only description that comes to mind......
Mohegan Sun representatives say it doesn't look like flyover ramp from Mass Pike will be allowed
By
on July 22, 2013
PALMER - The Town Council was told by a Mohegan Sun representative that it doesn't look like the proposal to have a "flyover" ramp from the Massachusetts Turnpike to the proposed resort casino site off Thorndike Street is going to fly.
John E. Thomas, vice president of Beals & Thomas in Southborough, represented Mohegan Sun at the council meeting Monday night. He discussed proposals for traffic improvements throughout town as part of a traffic study conducted by Andover-based Vanasse & Associates. Mohegan has proposed four ways to get to the nearly $1 billion facility, and two involve direct access through "flyover" ramps into the site.
He said there are "some serious federal highway (administration) concerns" regarding the flyovers.
Thomas said the state agency has not given them positive feedback on the flyovers because the ramps will lead into a private driveway for a business, which apparently conflicts with federal highway requirements.
He said they are still in negotiations with the state agency, and all four access proposals are under consideration. Two involve flyovers, one involves a ramp for drivers specifically driving to Route 32, and another "on-grade" proposal only features roadway improvements.
At-large Town Councilor Jason Polonsky said he knows people are anxious to vote on this project,
but said he feels the access issue needs to be resolved before a referendum is scheduled.
There has been talk about a September referendum for voters to weigh in on the project, and a host community agreement is expected to be completed sometime this month which will detail what improvements Mohegan will pay for throughout town to mitigate casino impacts.
Thomas told Polonsky that he doubts that answer will come before the vote is held.
Paul I. Brody, Mohegan's development coordinator, said all traffic improvements will be paid for by Mohegan. Brody was not sure how much those improvements will cost, as some are still being finalized.
Vanasse reviewed 15 intersections in town and recommended improvements for some.
District 4 Town Councilor Donald Blais Jr. noted that traffic is a "big concern here in town."
"I can assure you it is in Mohegan's interest as much as the town's to make sure the traffic operations here work smoothy," Thomas said.
If someone has a bad experience getting to the casino due to traffic, "they're not coming back, it's that simple," Thomas said.
The intersections at Route 181, Main, Shearer, North Main and Wilbraham streets were discussed, and Mohegan is calling for an additional signal, among other improvements.
There also was a discussion about using some of the traffic island to improve the area, but town councilors did not know if that could happen, as it carries historical significance.
Main Street at Thorndike Street is expected to see a heavy increase in traffic with the average number of vehicles per hour increasing from 59 to 89; the existing traffic signal will be improved to help move traffic along, Thomas said.
Polonsky asked why Sundays were not used during the traffic counts by Mohegan's consultants (just peak times on Fridays and Saturdays were evaluated. Polonsky said just this past Sunday, traffic was backed up 15 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike. He said this causes some drivers to get off the pike in Palmer to avoid traffic.
Mohegan representatives said there is a proposal by the state to remove toll booths in four years, which would benefit their project and alleviate some of the traffic congestion.
John E. Thomas, vice president of Beals & Thomas in Southborough, represented Mohegan Sun at the council meeting Monday night. He discussed proposals for traffic improvements throughout town as part of a traffic study conducted by Andover-based Vanasse & Associates. Mohegan has proposed four ways to get to the nearly $1 billion facility, and two involve direct access through "flyover" ramps into the site.
He said there are "some serious federal highway (administration) concerns" regarding the flyovers.
Thomas said the state agency has not given them positive feedback on the flyovers because the ramps will lead into a private driveway for a business, which apparently conflicts with federal highway requirements.
He said they are still in negotiations with the state agency, and all four access proposals are under consideration. Two involve flyovers, one involves a ramp for drivers specifically driving to Route 32, and another "on-grade" proposal only features roadway improvements.
At-large Town Councilor Jason Polonsky said he knows people are anxious to vote on this project,
but said he feels the access issue needs to be resolved before a referendum is scheduled.
There has been talk about a September referendum for voters to weigh in on the project, and a host community agreement is expected to be completed sometime this month which will detail what improvements Mohegan will pay for throughout town to mitigate casino impacts.
Thomas told Polonsky that he doubts that answer will come before the vote is held.
Paul I. Brody, Mohegan's development coordinator, said all traffic improvements will be paid for by Mohegan. Brody was not sure how much those improvements will cost, as some are still being finalized.
Vanasse reviewed 15 intersections in town and recommended improvements for some.
District 4 Town Councilor Donald Blais Jr. noted that traffic is a "big concern here in town."
"I can assure you it is in Mohegan's interest as much as the town's to make sure the traffic operations here work smoothy," Thomas said.
If someone has a bad experience getting to the casino due to traffic, "they're not coming back, it's that simple," Thomas said.
The intersections at Route 181, Main, Shearer, North Main and Wilbraham streets were discussed, and Mohegan is calling for an additional signal, among other improvements.
There also was a discussion about using some of the traffic island to improve the area, but town councilors did not know if that could happen, as it carries historical significance.
Main Street at Thorndike Street is expected to see a heavy increase in traffic with the average number of vehicles per hour increasing from 59 to 89; the existing traffic signal will be improved to help move traffic along, Thomas said.
Polonsky asked why Sundays were not used during the traffic counts by Mohegan's consultants (just peak times on Fridays and Saturdays were evaluated. Polonsky said just this past Sunday, traffic was backed up 15 miles on the Massachusetts Turnpike. He said this causes some drivers to get off the pike in Palmer to avoid traffic.
Mohegan representatives said there is a proposal by the state to remove toll booths in four years, which would benefit their project and alleviate some of the traffic congestion.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/07/mohegan_representatives_talk_t.html
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