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Sunday, July 7, 2013

The Sucking Sound You Hear......

FROM: Glenn Sullivan
Letter to the Editor:
Compare casino plan to Pennsylvania’s

We’re in the stretch run on the “vote” for city residents approval or rejection of the chance that MGM and Mayor Sarno get an early Christmas present. I use the term “vote” loosely as it is marginally binding . . . this casino for Springfield is not a slam dunk.

... With that, I find several peculiarities popping into my head recently that I’d like to share with others:

First: Palmer seems to be gaining a measure of traction, at least in the mind of this writer, with their dance partner, Mohegan Sun floating their plans for a $1 billion dollar development project. If for no other reason than logistics and accessibility, this latest development should not be dismissed or minimized. On its face, the entire “shoehorn” strategy for a Springfield casino seems ill-matched to the Palmer plan.

Second: Several months ago, this writer penned a letter to The Republican regarding a Springfield fact-finding mission to the Allentown-Bethlehem, Pa., region that hosts a newly built casino. Notably absent were our mayor and his chief economic development officer.

Curious, that but ultimately, that feeling vanished into the fog of the casino campaign. Fast forward: We now learn that according to MSN.com, that despite the recent strong rebound nationally and locally in housing prices and the market in general, guess which area lags significantly in this bounce-back?

In fact, it is one of the five poorest performing real estate markets in the country....actually losing ground in real estate value? If you guessed Allentown-Bethlehem, Pa., you’re right.

This past winter, did the city’s leadership know this and were therefore reluctant to square up, make the effort to go to Pennsylvania and tactfully ask their counterparts what the tangible, shared by-all-benefit was to having a casino storm their shores? Why do I lack the excited feeling that others have for MGM Springfield?

That faint, ominous sucking sound is small business and homeowners values circling the drain as the probability that MGM lands here seems to be increasing, joining Allentown-Bethlehem, Pa., in their misery.

– WILLIAM L. COLLINS, Jr., Springfield
 
 

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