Commission: Raynham Park simulcast at risk if Suffolk Downs fees remain unpaid

Tuesday

Posted Oct 18, 2016

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted last week to require Raynham Park, which belongs to Brockton Fairgrounds owner George Carney, to pay around $300,000 within 30 days or face the suspension or revocation of its license that allows for simulcast race betting.

By Marc Larocque
Enterprise Staff Writer

RAYNHAM – Raynham Park, a former dog track that continues to operate as a racing simulcast center, is being ordered to fork over more than $300,000 in fees, which Suffolk Downs has long claimed it is owed as part of an off-track betting arrangement that was established by state law.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 3-2 last week to require Raynham Park, which belongs to Brockton Fairgrounds owner George Carney, to pay the money within 30 days or face the suspension or revocation of its license that allows for simulcast race betting. The two dissenting commissioners said they agreed with a motion to enforce the payment, but wanted to give Raynham Park more time.

Simulcast betting has been the main attraction at Raynham Park, located on Route 138 near the border with Easton, since greyhound racing was banned throughout the state following a ballot referendum that was held in 2008 and enacted in 2010.

The five-member commission was unanimous that it had the authority to make a determination that Raynham Park must pay the 3 percent of its intrastate simulcast revenues to Suffolk Downs for the the time period in question, which was from October 2014 and June 2015. After that time span, the state legislature suspended the fee obligation following the opening of the Plainridge Park Casino.

Lawyers for Raynham Park argued that that Suffolk Downs was not an active horse racing licensee during that period of time, and that the issue should be resolved in court, instead of by the state commission. Patrick Dinardo, representing Raynham Park, said that, in its petition to the state gaming commission, Suffolk Downs never mentioned that 90 percent of those fees would go to the New England Horsemen’s Association, which has a purse agreement with the Boston facility.

“Suffolk Downs is trying to collect these premiums for its benefit, when the statute says that these premiums are supposed to be paid into purses,” Dinardo told the commission during a meeting held in Boston on Thursday. “The point of the premiums was to augment the purses. If you’re not having a racing operation, then there is no purses. From the period in question, October 2014 through June 2015, there were no races at Suffolk Downs, and therefore no purses. ... The New England Horsemen is the real party of interest here.”

Dinardo said if the matter is settled in court, it would be better because all of the facts about the simulcast arrangement would come out through the evidence discovery process.

“If Suffolk Downs wants to bring an action in Superior Court for declaratory relief, and they think they have an entitlement to this premium, we can address that issue in the court, where it's a question of interpreting the statutory scheme,” Dinardo said.

The lawyers for Raynham Park also argued that the adjudicatory guidelines for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission do not contemplate such an enforcement action by the commission.

“Ultimately, it will end up in Superior Court, one way or the other,” Dinardo said.

Catherine Blue, general counsel for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said that the issue is within the commission’s jurisdiction under the state’s horse racing law, and that the commission could hold a hearing to suspend or revoke Raynham Park’s license if it doesn’t pay the bill.

Reached on Tuesday afternoon, Carney, the owner of Raynham Park, said that Suffolk Downs didn’t apply for a racing license in 2014, and for that reason he believes it isn’t entitled to the simulcast premiums.

“I didn't feel we owed them money,” Carney said. “That's my position.”

Carney said that he and his lawyers are now still deciding whether to take the matter to court themselves.

Commissioner Enrique Zuniga said that he doesn’t buy Raynham Park’s argument.

“The heart of the matter is whether the obligation was there,” Zuniga said. “That's the part I'm not persuaded at all on, the claims from Raynham.”

The following is a video of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission meeting on October 13. The discussion on the Raynhan Park simulcast fees begins at 1:24:30.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/20161018/commission-raynham-park-simulcast-at-risk-if-suffolk-downs-fees-remain-unpaid

Racing Days Cut? Taxes Cut? Just the beginning of TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES!

Governor Patrick rejects tax cut for greyhound simulcasts
By Andy Metzger
State House News Service Posted Aug. 22, 2014   

BOSTON -- Arguing it would sap $600,000 budgeted for the Gaming Commission, Gov. Deval Patrick sent back to the Legislature a bill that would lower the state's take on greyhound simulcast wagers.

"The bill does not provide any replacement for that lost revenue, and the FY15 General Appropriations Act anticipates that the full fees will continue to be paid," Patrick wrote in a Wednesday letter to lawmakers. "Accordingly, the bill would leave the Racing Division nearly $600,000 short of its operating budget this year, and would create an annually recurring shortfall of approximately the same amount."

The Gaming Commission's Racing Division oversees live horse racing at Suffolk Downs and Plainridge Racecourse, and simulcast races that are available for wager at the two horse tracks as well Raynham Park, a former dog track.

The bill only applies to simulcast greyhound racing, and officials have said it would bring the state's share of the handle on greyhound simulcast down to the same level the state takes for simulcast horse racing.

Faced with smaller crowds of gamblers, the state's racing tracks have attempted to hitch themselves to the fledgling [NON-EXISTENT] casino gaming industry.

Plainridge, located in Plainville, won the state's lone slots license and has reportedly begun construction on a new facility. Suffolk Downs, which straddles Revere and East Boston, is vying against Wynn Resorts for the Metro Boston resort casino license, and Raynham had been in the running for the slots license.

After voters abolished greyhound racing in Massachusetts in 2008, Raynham closed its track, while continuing to offer simulcast racing.

The bill, filed by Rep. Shawn Dooley, would also reduce the number of live racing days Suffolk Downs and Plainridge would need to hold in order to keep running simulcast races. Patrick left that language intact while striking the provision that reduces the state's share of simulcast greyhound wagers.

Backers of the ballot initiative to eliminate greyhound racing have argued that passage of the referendum should have banned Bay State betting on out-of-state simulcast greyhound racing as well. They say simulcasting was reauthorized through the 2011 gaming law.

Efforts to reach George Carney, the owner of Raynham Park, were unsuccessful.

By sending the bill back with an amendment, Patrick leaves both himself and lawmakers with options.

The House and Senate have held their last formal session of the year, meaning if Patrick used his power to veto the bill, the branches wouldn't be able to override the decision.

http://raynham.wickedlocal.com/article/20140822/NEWS/140828681/12423/NEWS


Gov. blocks bill to reduce state’s take on simulcast dog racing at Plainridge, other tracks
Posted: Friday, August 22, 2014

BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

Gov. Deval Patrick has blocked legislation that would reduce the state’s take on simulcast greyhound racing featured at Plainridge Racecourse and the state’s two other race tracks.Patrick sent the bill back with an amendment knocking out a provision he said would drain $600,000 budgeted for the state Gaming Commission and create a continuing shortfall.

The gaming commission’s racing division oversees live horse racing at Suffolk Downs and Plainridge Racecourse. The tracks, along with the former Raynham Park dog track, also feature simulcasts of races from other facilities.

The bill, originally filed by state Rep. Shawn Dooley, R-Norfolk, applies only to simulcast greyhound events and would also reduce the number of live racing days the tracks would have to host in order to qualify for simulcasting. Dooley said the provision reducing the state’s revenue take was not part of his original proposal and was added by another House member.

Dooley said he was “thrilled” by the governor’s action which would leave the other portions of the bill intact.

Penn National Gaming, which won a state license for a slot parlor in Plainville, is currently constructing a new facility in that town while continuing its harness racing schedule. Suffolk Downs, located in Revere and Boston, is competing with Wynn Resorts for a full casino license. Raynham Park, which lost out to Plainridge in its bid for a slot license, continues to offer simulcast wagering.

A statewide referendum scheduled for November asks voters to repeal the 2011 law legalizing casino gambling. If approved, the measure would also ban simulcast dog racing.

Dooley said he expects the amended bill will be taken up next week in the House.



http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/gov-vetoes-bill-to-reduce-state-s-take-on-simulcast/article_7a9b8202-2a0f-11e4-8031-001a4bcf887a.html

Gaming lawsuit about 'fairness of law' Raynham Park owner George Carney says

Taunton Gazette File Photo | Rory Schuler |

George Carney owner of Raynham Park.

By Joseph Markman
The Enterprise
Gerry Tuoti
Wicked Local Newsbank Editor
Posted May. 15, 2014



RAYNHAM — George Carney says the lawsuit he filed last week to block Penn National Gaming from opening its planned gambling facility in Plainville is not about sour grapes.

“I don’t file frivolous lawsuits,” Carney said. “I thought long and hard before I filed the suit because I realize I have to deal with the Gaming Commission on a daily basis.”

Dog racing, once a major draw at Raynham Park, was banned by voters in 2010. Since then the park has remained open largely by way of revenue from simulcast racing, in which guests bet on dog and horse races happening in other states.

Carney said he has not heard from the commission since filing suit, and said he is not concerned about angering regulators with his lawsuit.

“I am strong enough to handle and conduct a good operation here,” he said.

The lawsuit, filed last Friday, calls for the state’s Supreme Judicial Court to revoke the slots license issued to Penn National. The commission awarded the slots license to Penn National in March on a 3-2 vote, with Carney’s Raynham Park getting no votes.

Carney claims that Ourway Realty, the disqualified former owner of Plainridge Racecourse, will continue to profit once the slots parlor opens in 2015.

The Gaming Commission banned Ourway from seeking a license last summer after state investigators accused Plainridge president Gary Piontkowski of pocketing more than $1 million from the track’s cash room over a 10-year period.

The lawsuit claims an agreement between Ourway and Springfield Gaming will provide Piontkowski a percentage of the gambling operation’s earnings “in perpetuity.”

“If you were disqualified on a Monday, they shouldn’t put you back in on Tuesday,” Carney said. “You’re either in or you’re out.”

Spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said Thursday that the commission has been formally notified of the lawsuit, but that she could not comment on pending litigation beyond saying that the commission’s attorneys are reviewing the matter.

Penn National, which operates casinos and slots parlors in several states, plans to open the $225 million Plainridge Park Casino by next spring.

Eric Schippers, a spokesman for Penn National, said in a statement earlier this week that Carney’s claims are “legally and factually deficient.”

“Given that the Carney proposal did not garner even a single vote, I’m not sure what they’re ultimately trying to accomplish,” Schippers said.

Carney said that if Penn’s license is rescinded he hopes to be back in the running, but could not say for certain.

“That I couldn’t give you the answer to,” Carney said. “Whether I’m chosen or not chosen again, that’s not the issue.”

Gerry Tuoti is the Regional Newsbank Editor for GateHouse Media New England. Email him at gtuoti@tauntongazette.com or call him at 508-967-3137.

http://www.tauntongazette.com/article/20140515/NEWS/140517224/11155/NEWS

Raynham Park owner sues Gaming Commission to block Plainridge slots

 

After falling short in his application for the state's lone slots parlor license, Raynham Park owner George Carney has sued the state Gaming Commission in an effort to block Penn National Gaming from opening its planned gambling facility in Plainville.

Taunton Gazette photo | Mike GayGeorge Carney listens to testimony at a hearing in Raynham.


Gerry Tuoti
Wicked Local Newsbank Editor
Posted May. 12, 2014

RAYNHAM — After falling short in his application for the state’s lone slots parlor license, Raynham Park owner George Carney has sued the state Gaming Commission in an effort to block Penn National Gaming from opening its planned gambling facility in Plainville.

The lawsuit, which was filed late Friday, calls for the state’s Supreme Judicial Court to revoke the slots license the commission issued in February to Penn National. Carney claims that Ourway Realty, the disqualified former owner of Plainridge Racecourse, will continue to profit once the slots parlor opens in 2015.

Penn National said the lawsuit’s claims lack merit.

The Gaming Commission banned Ourway from seeking a license last summer after state investigators accused Plainridge president Gary Piontkowski of pocketing more than $1 million from the track’s cash room over a 10-year period.

Plainridge got back in the running after Springfield Gaming, a subsidiary of Penn National, struck a deal to buy the harness track from Ourway, then filed a new application. The commission awarded the slots license to Penn National in March on a 3-2 vote, with Raynham Park getting no votes.

Carney’s lawsuit, however, claims the license was issued “in violation” of state law and that the purchase agreement between Ourway and Springfield Gaming calls for the disqualified former track owner to receive a percentage of the gambling operation’s earning “in perpetuity.”

“Springfield Gaming’s failure to disclose Ourway’s interests, the nature of such interests and the names and addresses of all members of Ourway on its application rendered its application false and misleading…” the lawsuit states.

A Gaming Commission spokeswoman said Monday that the panel had not yet been served with the lawsuit and was unable to comment.

Springfield Gaming and Ourway are also listed as defendants.

“Their claims are legally and factually deficient,” Eric Schippers, Penn National’s senior vice president of public affairs, said in a statement. “The Gaming Commission did a thorough and transparent job evaluating the applications and acted appropriately. Given that the Carney proposal did not garner even a single vote, I'm not sure what they're ultimately trying to accomplish.”

Carney and his attorney, Matthew Kozol, did not return calls for comment.

Penn National, which operates casinos and slots parlors in several states, plans to open the $225 million Plainridge Park Casino by spring 2015. The facility is expected to feature 1,250 slot machines, restaurants and entertainment space integrated with the existing harness racing track.

When the Gaming Commission reviewed the applications and evaluation criteria during hearings in February, Raynham’s odds of landing the license grew longer as commissioners lauded the Penn National and Cordish Cos. proposals.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140512/NEWS/140519146/1994/NEWS

Defining Predatory Gambling!

Why should Crosby resign?

From Day One, Crosby has defined ALL that is wrong with Predatory Gambling, the lack of ETHICS, failing to disclose his business relationship, appointing Stan McGee, the extravagant spending, poor judgment on numerous issues, calling statutory mandates 'technicalities,' and much else.

The Stench permeates everything!

The solution?

REPEAL THE CASINO DEAL!

Candidates for governor want gambling panel chair to resign

By Andrea Estes

| Globe Staff May 11, 2014

David L Ryan/Globe Staff/File

Stephen P. Crosby has come under fire for past actions — including a recent appearance at a private party at Suffolk Downs, a potential casino location.


Five candidates for governor Saturday called on Massachusetts gambling commission chairman Stephen P. Crosby to step down from the panel, just days after he withdrew from deliberations on the Greater Boston casino license amid allegations of bias.

Democrats Steve Grossman, Martha Coakley, and Juliette Kayyem, Republican Charlie Baker, and Independent Evan Falchuk all said Crosby should resign to allow the awarding of the license to move forward without controversy.

 

Crosby removed himself from the Boston license decision on Thursday, saying that his past actions — including his recent appearance at a private party at Suffolk Downs, a potential casino location — had threatened the panel’s appearance of impartiality. He said he would remain in the job to work on other matters — including the awarding of casino licenses in other regions.

Related

• More coverage: Casino gambling in Mass.

Without Crosby on the five-member commission, Grossman and Baker said they feared the possibility of a deadlocked 2-2 vote.

“When the chairman, who is the voice and the face of the gaming commission, cannot play the critical leadership role he needs to play every day, it undermines the commission’s ability to do its job,” said Grossman, the state treasurer and one of five Democratic candidates. “The commission needs five full time members who are not constrained in any way.”

In statements, the candidates said Saturday that Crosby hadn’t gone far enough in recusing himself.
“Boston is contentious,” said Baker, one of the Republicans running for governor. “The possibility of a 2-2 tie is certainly real. I’ve known Steve for years. He’s a good man, and he’s always been willing to step up and serve the public. But we have a math problem here. They have no provision that I’m aware of to break a tie. It’s obviously important that this one be as clean as possible.”

 

Coakley said Crosby had “left us without a fully functioning gaming commission. I believe it is critical that we have a fully functioning commission in order to move ahead with the gaming process, and most importantly to get it right. Therefore, he should resign and allow for a replacement to fill that role immediately.’’

Jesse Mermell, a spokeswoman for Governor Deval Patrick, said in a statement Saturday that the governor “continues to believe that the Chairman’s recusal should allow the focus to shift back to the work the Commission is doing to implement the gaming law.”

After Crosby stepped away, gambling commissioner James McHugh took over as chairman when it considers the Boston license. On Saturday, McHugh issued a statement expressing “continued and complete confidence in Steve Crosby’s integrity and ability to lead the commission. The [Greater Boston] license, though important, is just one of many issues before the commission and Crosby’s leadership and energy continue to be of great value to the commission and to the public on the multitude of other matters.”

He also predicted the “extraordinarily cohesive” commission will have no difficulty making decisions without Crosby.

The Crosby controversy is the latest hurdle in the state’s efforts to legalize casino gambling. The commission — which had hoped to issue two licenses by this spring — has faced lawsuits, conflict of interest allegations and a possible ballot initiative that would repeal the casino law. A casino proposal in Springfield by MGM is the only contender for the Western Massachusetts resort casino license, and Wynn Resorts and Mohegan Sun are competing for the sole Boston area license.

Crosby, the former dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMass Boston, was named to the post by Patrick in December of 2011. He served as Governor Jane Swift’s chief of staff and was secretary of administration and finance in the Cellucci and Swift administrations.

But the candidates were lining up against his continued presence on the commission Saturday.

Kayyem, another of the Democrats seeking to succeed Patrick, said the commission “must be held to the highest of standards. The recent actions of Commissioner Crosby call into question the objectivity of the gaming commission, which is why I believe he needs to step aside.”

Falchuk said participants in the regulation of gambling must be “above approach.”

“Voters have to have confidence that this kind of regulation is independent and appropriate without any appearance of impropriety,” he said.

Democrat candidate Donald Berwick and Independent Jeff McCormick said Crosby’s recusal — not a resignation — was the appropriate action.

“Having Crosby step down would set back the process,” said McCormick’s spokesman, Pete Wilson.

“He also thinks it was bad judgment to go to Suffolk Downs’ opening day.”

Patrick, Grossman, and Coakley each have one appointee on the gambling commission. Under state law, the three elected officials jointly appoint the other two commissioners.

Crosby’s action came days after the Globe reported that Crosby and his wife and friends had attended a private party — with an open bar and lavish buffet — at the East Boston racetrack, which has a deal to lease its property in Revere to Mohegan Sun for a casino.

Crosby defended his attendance as a show of support for the racing industry, which the gambling commission also regulates. But that event capped months of criticism by the city of Boston and some license applicants, who accused him of bias in favor of the Wynn Resorts project in Everett. Caesars Entertainment sued Crosby and others last fall, alleging he was biased because he had once been in business with a co-owner of the land where Wynn wants to build the casino.

Crosby has denied the allegations, saying he had never discussed the land with his friend and former partner, Paul Lohnes.

Meanwhile, the gambling commission was sued again on Friday — this time by one of the unsuccessful applicants for a slot parlor license. Raynham Park owner George Carney asked the Supreme Judicial Court to revoke the license awarded to Penn National Gaming for a slot machine parlor at Plainridge Racecourse.

Carney argued that under the terms of the sales agreement signed when Penn National bought the track from Ourway Realty, the seller will continue to make money after the slots parlor opens next year.

The gambling commission found Ourway Realty unsuitable to hold a license.

Under the state’s new gambling law, the suit says, the commission cannot issue a license to an applicant if anyone who benefits from the gambling business has been found unqualified.

“The gaming commission determined, back when this was an issue, to disqualify Ourway,” said Carney. “Yet Ourway is going to participate from a financial point of view. I think it’s a flagrant violation of what the commission has tried to do since day one.”

Penn National’s $225 million proposal won approval by the commission in a 3-2 vote in February. Carney’s proposal received no votes.

Last summer, state investigators found that president of the Plainridge team, Gary Piontkowski, had taken more than $1 million from the track’s money room and Ourway Realty was banned from the slots competition. The lawsuit says that under the terms of the agreement between Ourway and Penn National, Ourway will continue to receive payments each fiscal quarter “in perpetuity” based on a percentage of Penn National’s earnings.


ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY FAILED TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER!

THE GAMBLING COMMISSION KNEW ABOUT STICKY FINGERS PIONTKOSWKI, ALLOWED THE TOWN OF PLAINVILLE TO NEGOTIATE IN BAD FAITH BEFORE MAKING THE MATTER PUBLIC SHORTLY BEFORE THE TOWN-WIDE VOTE.

ATTORNEY GENERAL REFUSED TO PUT ANYTHING IN WRITING ABOUT THE ILLEGAL RAFFLE CONDUCTED BY PLAINRIDGE FOR YEARS.

The commission declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying its officials hadn’t yet seen it.


http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/05/10/candidates-for-governor-call-gambling-commission-chairman-resign/UrBKwEPs6jhWcSgAa2K9LM/story.html?s_campaign=email_BG_TodaysHeadline

For the casino predators, enough is never enough.

Let's not forget that PARX wants to invade Massachusetts.

Bill Kearney

Massachusetts ‘Gaming’ Future
For the casino predators, enough is never enough.

The Morning Call - May 4, 2014 - Is slot machine gambling coming to your phone?

Parx Casino wants to attract more young gamblers with gambling on mobile devices. Would Sands follow?

The typical slot machine player in Pennsylvania is a 60-year-old woman who owns a home and earns a middle-class wage, but if executives at Parx Casino get their way, she will soon be joined by a gaggle of millennials playing slots on their smartphones.

Hoping to entice barely legal gamblers to play slot machines, Parx Casino wants to give people the ability to play from their smartphone and tablets, perhaps while they update their Facebook status or scan their Twitter feed.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-pa-gambling-mobile-devices-20140504,0,4487569.story#ixzz30rRM9jof

Mass. Gambling Panel Weighs Slot Barn License

Mass. Gambling Panel Weighs Slots Parlor License

By Bob SalsbergFebruary 26, 2014Updated Feb 26, 4:55 pm

BOSTON — The chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission gave a boost Wednesday to a proposal by Cordish Cos. for a slots parlor in Leominster, as the panel moved closer to awarding the state’s first license for expanded gambling.

Cordish is competing for the slots parlor license with Penn National Gaming, which hopes to add slot machines at the Plainridge harness racetrack in Plainville, and Raynham Park, a former dog racing track. The five-member commission has been using several categories to evaluate the applications.

The Leominster and Plainville proposals received the strongest grades over two days of discussions, with Raynham Park trailing the others in nearly every category.

Stephen Crosby, the panel’s chairman who led a general overview of the projects, gave Leominster a grade of “very good,” the highest in that category, saying Cordish’s proposal demonstrated creativity and the potential to be the strongest regional location for a slots parlor.

“Thus our analysis suggests that the strategic value of the Leominster location, filling a relatively unserved part of the state and creating a bulwark to a potential Southern New Hampshire facility, has the highest strategic competitive value,” Crosby wrote in his report.

Cordish was also praised by Crosby for reaching “outside the box” with its proposal to dedicate at least $1 million in annual gambling revenues to help startup medical device companies in the north-central Massachusetts region.

Penn National was rated sufficient in the general overview, with Crosby’s report saying the greatest strength of Plainville’s proposal was its promise to maintain horse racing, but that it otherwise offered “few really distinctive features.”

Raynham’s answers to many questions posed by evaluators were “minimally responsive,” the report said, and it received a grade of “sufficient to insufficient,” though the park’s longtime owner George Carney was praised for the strong support he has in the community.

Crosby stressed to reporters after his presentation that he had not yet made a final determination on which applicant he supports for the slots parlor license, adding that his report was only one of five submitted by members of the commission. Each commissioner has an equal say in awarding the license, and a unanimous vote is not required.

A report submitted Wednesday by Commissioner Gayle Cameron, who oversaw a review of mitigation efforts by each applicant, gave Penn National a grade of “very good,” while Cordish Cos., which proposes building a slots parlor in Leominster, and Raynham Park, a former dog track, were both given grades of “sufficient.”

The mitigation category includes community outreach and support, efforts to reduce traffic impacts, and plans to address problem gambling and help the state Lottery avoid a downturn in sales due to competition from casinos.

Cameron said Penn National had demonstrated “integrated responsible gaming practices” at gambling facilities it operates in other states.

Commissioner Bruce Stebbins, who oversaw an evaluation of economic development efforts by each of the applicants, rated both Plainville and Leominster as very good in the category, and Raynham Park sufficient. The category includes job creation, work with local businesses and tourism promotion.

After it awards the slots parlor license, the commission will then turn its attention to choosing destination resort casino operators in the eastern and western parts of the state, with decisions on those licenses expected by midyear.

On Tuesday, Revere voters approved a referendum that would allow for a resort casino proposed by Mohegan Sun on land owned by Suffolk Downs.

The vote sets the stage for Mohegan Sun to compete with Wynn Resorts, which has proposed a $1.6 billion facility along the Mystic River in Everett, for the eastern resort casino license.

MGM Resort, planning a casino in Springfield, is the only western Massachusetts applicant.

 http://www.wbur.org/2014/02/26/mass-gambling-panel-slots-parlor-license

 

Gambling commission rates three applicants for Massachusetts’ only slot license

By Mark Arsenault / Globe Staff / February 25, 2014

 

The first ratings are out for applicants hoping to open the first slot machine parlor in Massachusetts under the state’s expanded gambling law, and Cordish Companies and Penn National Gaming are leading out of the gate.

 

In the category of building and site design, Cordish’s Leominster project and Penn’s Plainville proposal were both rated “sufficient to very good.”

 

The Leominster proposal “excels with its approach to a balanced entertainment venue,” according to evaluations led by state gambling commissioner James McHugh. Cordish’s late 2014 completion date, however, may be too optimistic, according to the ratings released this morning by the gambling commission.

 

Penn’s plan presents a “visually attractive track and open space,” though the project could face delays over traffic plans that need federal approval.

 

The third applicant, Raynham Park, was rated “insufficient to sufficient” in the category, with complaints that the design is “essentially a large box” and the landscape plan “lacks detail.”

 

The state’s expanded gambling law, passed in 2011, has authorized three casinos and one slot parlor in the state. The gambling commission is expected to vote to award the slot parlor license by the end of this week, paving the way for a facility with as many as 1,250 machines.

 

Each of the five commissioners has been assigned a particular aspect of the proposals to study. They have been huddling with experts for months and are presenting their findings this week before they take their vote.

 

The three slots parlor proposals all received “sufficient” ratings across three subcategories of building and site design: security, progress toward permitting and plans for future use. The commission today posted on the Internet the documents detailing its findings, although some financial information has been redacted.

 

In a second category to be reviewed today — finance — Penn National earned the highest ranking in a review led by commissioner Enrique Zuniga.

 

Penn was ranked “very good/outstanding” in the category while Cordish earned a ranking of “very good” and Raynham Park was rated “sufficient/very good.”

 

In the category for amenities, the Cordish project clearly was the winner.

“Leominster rose above the others offering a well-defined performance venue, the best restaurant features, and providing the most robust floor plan details,” according to McHugh’s report.

 

Penn’s project clearly won the subcategory on “sustainable development.”

 

“The stormwater plan utilizes the track infield for full on-site retention and exceeds best practices,” the report states.

The license will cost $25 million; the developer must spend at least $125 million on the project. The slot parlor will pay a 49 percent state tax on gambling revenue. The only wild card: casino opponents are seeking a court ruling to put a repeal of the gambling law on the November ballot.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/02/25/gaming-commission-rates-three-applicants-for-massachusetts-only-slot-license/H0rJ6rhb7ExZH9vbZQPEeL/story.html

 

 

Gam[bl]ing Commission to award Slot Barn License next week

It's time to REPEAL THE CASINO DEAL!

Slot parlor license to be awarded next week

 

By Steve DeCosta

sdecosta@s-t.com

February 22, 2014

 

The state's five gaming commissioners will have their noses to the grindstone next week, with a marathon series of meetings in advance of Friday's award of the state's lone slot parlor license.

 

The license will also be the first gaming license to be issued in Massachusetts.

 

In meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the commissioners will report on the results of their comprehensive evaluation of three applicants, one each in Raynham, Plainville and Leominister.

 

Each commissioner has taken the lead on overseeing a group of advisers and industry experts to evaluate each gaming proposal in key categories: overview of project, finance, economic development, building and site design and mitigation.

 

 

 

"This is truly the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work put forth by the commissioners, commission staff and the dedicated members of the five evaluation teams," chairman Stephen Crosby said on the commission's blog.

 

Crosby said that as a result of a "highly competitive process, the commission has had the difficult and exciting task of evaluating absolute first-rate proposals."

 

He said the commission is "eager to take this final step in bringing to bear the thousands of jobs and revenue benefits that await the citizens of the Commonwealth."

 

The applicants are:

 

Raynham Park, a partnership between Greenwood Racing Inc. and George Carney, owner of the former greyhound race track, to develop and operate a $220 million slots facility on 125 acres near both Route 495 and Route 24 in Raynham.

 

Penn National of Wyomissing, Penn., which has partnered with Plainridge Racecourse for a $225 million slots parlor near Routes 495 and 1 that the developers said would save harness racing in Masschusetts.

 

 

 

Cordish Companies of Baltimore, which hopes to develop the $200 million Massachusetts Live! Casino off I-190 and Route 117 in Leominister.

 

Each meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. A live stream will be available on the MassGaming website and live meeting updates will be provided by the commission on Twitter, @MassGamingComm.

 

In addition, the Gaming Commission will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday to discuss surrounding community designations for Eastern Massachusetts and recent correspondence from the City of Boston relating to resort-casino applications in Everett and Revere.

 

The first resort casino licenses — in Greater Boston and Western Massachusetts — are scheduled to be awarded by May. A license for Southeastern Massachusetts will not be awarded until November.

 

 

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140222/NEWS/402220338/-1/news

 

 

MGC hearing postponed to other inconvenient times

Latest MassGaming updates

Hello everyone, Due to expected inclement weather in the region, MassGaming is re-scheduling the host community hearings in Plainville and Raynham originally scheduled for tonight until Monday, January 27th. The times and locations will remain the same: Plainville January 27th at 4:30pm Beatrice H. Wood Elementary School Cafeteria 72 Messenger Street, Plainville, MA Raynham January 27th at 6:30pm Raynham Middle School 420 Titicut Road, Raynham, MA Please stay tuned to MassGaming.com for continued updates.

Best wishes, MassGaming

Easton and Raynham Park struggling to reach a financial agreement on slots parlor

Easton and Raynham Park struggling to reach a financial agreement on slots parlor

By Jennifer Bray

Enterprise Staff Writer

Posted Jan 07, 2014

 

EASTON —

Easton, like other communities surrounding Raynham Park, is hoping to cash in on casino money.

But the clock is ticking as Easton and Raynham Park try to reach a deal.

Raynham Park is vying to be chosen as the state’s lone slots parlor. The proposed $227 million slots parlor at the former dog track sits just a 10th of a mile from Easton’s town line.

Fifty percent of the traffic generated from that gaming complex in Raynham would go through Easton, according to Raynham Park’s own traffic study.

The town of Easton has been negotiating with Raynham Park on terms of a potential surrounding community agreement. The agreement would entitle the town to money for dealing with issues stemming from the nearby slot parlor, such as more traffic. If a decision is not reached, both sides will go to arbitration.

The biggest sticking point right now is the amount of money the town would receive, said Easton Town Administrator David Colton.

“Our proposal is about $50,000 apart right now,” said Colton on Monday about the surrounding community agreement between the town and Raynham Park. “Fifty thousand dollars a year over 20 years is a lot of money,” he said.

Traffic is a major concern said Colton. “It’s not simply the volume of traffic, it’s the spin-off from the volume that affects the town in significant ways,” he said. “It creates the need for more traffic stops and the need for more police.”

Slots parlor traffic has the potential to bring more impaired drivers as well as more drivers who have let their licenses, insurance and registration lapse, said Colton.

Those traffic stops run longer since they require police to take the driver’s vehicle off the road, get it towed and bring the driver to the police station, Colton said.

The other traffic impact would be the intersections of Route 138 and 106, where much of the traffic is expected to travel, said Colton.

“They only have so much capacity and if that capacity is all used up by Raynham Park then what about growth in Easton? ” said Colton. “It constrains us and diminishes our ability to improve property and increase our tax base.”

There are some other sticking points that have not been ironed out yet as well, said Colton. The town wants a new police cruiser every five years, while Raynham Park only wants to buy a police cruiser one time, said Colton.

Colton’s other concern is the impact a casino could have on housing and property values. For that reason he wants Raynham Park to pay for a three-year housing study.

Trying to reach an agreement has been a time-consuming process, said Colton. “I think we have an agreement but the devil is in the details,” he said.

If a surrounding community agreement is reached between the town of Easton and Raynham Park it would then be voted on by the town’s selectmen.

“We’ve been working a long time toward this agreement,” said Easton Selectmen Chairman Colleen Corona. “We want to make sure we’ve done the best job we can insulating our community from the impacts of the proposal.”

Other towns that are working on surrounding community agreements with Raynham Park include Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Middleboro and Taunton.

In November, Raynham Park signed an agreement with Taunton that would guarantee the city $200,000 a year to mitigate the impact of the proposed slots parlor. Raynham, as the host community, would get approximately $1 million annually.

Officials from Rehoboth, Berkley and Lakeville are also worried about the impact of the casino, specifically the traffic. They are being labeled as “nearby communities” and will take a wait-and-see approach as Raynham Park develops “nearby community” agreements, said Tom Bonner, the vice president and general counsel for Greenwood Racing, which is partnering with Raynham Park in the proposed Parx Raynham slots parlor venture.

He said that Raynham Park and Stoughton have signed a nearby community agreement that calls for the two parties to meet again in the future to analyze the impact and negotiate mitigation payments if necessary.

The other two communities seeking the only license for slot machines are Plainville and Leominister.

The state Gaming Commission is expected to make a decision on the slots parlor by the end of February or in early March.

Three full-fledged casino licenses are allowed in Massachusetts under the gaming law.

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has proposed a casino in Taunton.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x110124721/Easton-and-Raynham-Park-struggling-to-reach-a-financial-agreement-on-slots-parlor?zc_p=1

 

Yet more reasons to REPEAL THE CASINO DEAL!

WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2014: A big year for state's casino law
By Gerry Tuoti

Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter

Posted Dec 31, 2013

 

As Massachusetts continues to implement its 2-year-old expanded gambling law, 2014 is shaping up to be a pivotal year.
It is feasible that by the end of the year, resort casino licenses will be awarded and a slot parlor could already be open for business. Commercial casino developers who failed with voters elsewhere in the state will also likely jockey for position in southeastern Massachusetts, taking advantage of the region’s unique licensing schedule as a potential avenue toward a second chance.

A number of important deadlines in the licensing process are on the horizon in the coming months.

While several factors complicate casino licensing, particularly in southeastern Massachusetts, the three applicants vying for the state’s single slot parlor license face a comparatively simpler path.

The quest for slots

Raynham Park and Greenwood Racing have partnered in a proposal to bring slots to the former greyhound track the Carney family has owned in Raynham for decades. Penn National is working with Plainridge Racecourse to open a slots parlor at the Plainville-based harness track. Also in the mix is the Baltimore-based Cordish Co., which hopes to secure the license to open a slot facility in Leominster.

The three slot applicants should soon know their fate. According to a revised schedule the Massachusetts Gaming Commission published last week, the commission expects to award the slot license by March 7.

Raynham Park, which proposes a 175,000-square-foot facility, has told the commission it could open a temporary slot parlor within six months of getting approved.

Meanwhile, the slot applicants and surrounding communities have been working to reach mitigation agreements, a process that could involve arbitration if necessary.

Casino questions

The state’s 2011 expanded gambling law allows for Massachusetts to license one slot machine parlor and up to three resort casinos statewide. The law allows for no more than one licensed resort casino in each of three regions of Massachusetts.

The Gaming Commission says it is on track to award licenses by the end of May for resort casinos in Western Massachusetts and Greater Boston. Suffolk Downs in revere and Wynn Resorts in Everett are vying for the Greater Boston license. In Western Massachusetts, MGM’s proposed Springfield casino is the only remaining applicant, after local voters defeated other proposals.

While the Gaming Commission anticipates awarding those resort casino licenses by May 30, it could take several more months for the fog to lift from southeastern Massachusetts.

The region, which includes Bristol and Plymouth counties, Cape Cod and the islands, is behind the licensing schedule the rest of the state is following. The reason for the uncertainty is that the lawmakers who drafted the expanded gambling law hoped to avoid a scenario in which a taxpaying commercial casino and Native American casino compete in the same small region.

Under federal law, an eligible tribe that meets certain requirements may open a tribal casino in a state that allows expanded gambling. Tribal casinos are approved through a division of the federal government and are not subject to state licensing.

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, who achieved federal recognition in 2007, has proposed building a casino in Taunton, but lack the sovereign land necessary to do so. The expanded gambling law set a freeze on commercial casino applications in southeastern Massachusetts to give the Mashpee a chance to make progress on their federal land-in-trust application.

The tribal factor

Amid growing concerns about the Mashpee’s ability to meet the strict federal land requirements, the Gaming Commission voted in April to allow commercial applications in southeastern Massachusetts. The commissioners have not yet decided whether they will actually award the license, however, giving the Mashpee additional time.

To date, KG Urban, which has a federal court case challenging the constitutionality of the gambling law’s tribal set-aside, is the only commercial applicant in the region. Applicants who failed elsewhere in the state however, are still allowed to re-apply in southeastern Massachusetts.

Proponents of commercial gambling in southeastern Massachusetts say the 2009 Supreme Court decision on Carcieri v. Salazar makes it impossible for the Mashpee to meet the requirements to attain sovereign land. The Mashpee dispute that claim and say they expect a favorable ruling from the federal Department of the Interior.

The tribe, which saw its first compact with the state rejected, reached a new compact with Massachusetts earlier this year. The new compact calls for a tribal casino to pay 17 percent of revenue to the state in lieu of taxes, an amount that would drop to 15 percent if a slots parlor opens in the region. If a commercial casino were to open in southeastern Massachusetts, the tribal casino would pay the state nothing.

In the unlikely event that a tribal casino opens and no commercial casinos open anywhere else in the state, the Mashpee would pay the state 21 percent of casino revenue.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x1039482687/WHATS-AHEAD-IN-2014-A-big-year-for-states-casino-law?zc_p=1

 

Parx retains ill-gotten gains......

Bill Kearney

Bucks County Courier Times - December 4, 2013 - Cops: Bristol woman gambled $100K from stepson's inheritance

After initially denying she forged her stepson’s signature on a $150,000 insurance check, a Bristol Township woman claimed her stepson gave her permission to sign his name, a Bensalem detective testified Wednesday.

Detective Stephen Clark testified that 48-year-old Eleanor Leistrum also told him she gambled away more than $100,000 of the inheritance at Parx casino in Bensalem.

Read more: http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/communities/bensalem/cops-bristol-woman-gambled-k-from-stepson-s-inheritance/article_11123450-4e26-5685-92da-a4f1f683571d.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Taunton signs tentative mitigation deal with Raynham Park

Taunton signs tentative mitigation deal with Raynham Park

Gerry Tuoti

Posted: 11/08/2013

The city announced Friday that it has reached a tentative agreement with Raynham Park to mitigate the impacts of a proposed slot parlor at the former dog track.

The agreement, subject to the approval of Taunton City Council, calls for the gambling facility to pay Taunton $200,000 a year in community impact fees, with the amount increasing by 2.5 percent annually after the fourth year.

“I am pleased that we have been able to reach a mitigation agreement with Raynham Park,” Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. said. “Historically the relationship between the Carney family and the city of Taunton has been positive, with the dog track providing jobs for many of our residents. This project will breathe new life into the site and will be an employment provider to our region’s residents.”

Raynham Park owner George Carney has partnered with Pennsylvania-based Greenwood Racing in the proposal to build the Parx Raynham slot parlor.


http://m.tauntongazette.com/wkdTGazette/pm_32196/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=nfCJ9y7Z

GREY2K joins fight against casinos

GREY2K joins fight against casinos
By Marc Larocque

Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter

Posted Oct 31, 2013

 

TAUNTON —

The group behind the 2008 ballot initiative banning greyhound racing in Massachusetts is now working to repeal the state gambling legislation that could bring slot machines and economic rejuvenation to Raynham Park.

Arlington-based GREY2K USA, which calls itself the largest greyhound protection organization, announced on Thursday that it now supports a campaign to stop casinos from coming to the state.

Carey Theil, executive director of GREY2K USA, said although his organization does not have an official position on casino gambling in general, the nonprofit is backing the Repeal the Casino Deal coalition now working to add a ballot question to the November 2014 election that would repeal the law legalizing three casinos and one slot casino in Massachusetts. Theil said that the reason his organization support the Repeal the Casino Deal campaign is because the proposed ballot question would “undo the backroom deal” allowing greyhound simulcast betting to continue in the state.

Raynham Park, after officially losing the right to host greyhound racing in 2010, was still allowed to provide simulcast betting on greyhound races held elsewhere. Theil said when state voters passed the ballot initiative banning greyhound racing, the intent and spirit of the law was not to support greyhound racing through simulcast betting.

“Greyhound racing is a thing of the past,” Theil said. “It’s a cruel activity that is dying all over the country. The voters have spoken. It’s decided. The only place where this issue is not decided is the backrooms up on Beacon Hill. I’m disappointed that this issue is going to have to go back before voters but we have no choice.”

Theil said his group feels for those who were economically hurt by the vote.

“We certainly have sympathy for the individuals who were affected,” Theil said. “But the fact is this was an industry that was cruel and inhumane. Voters had facts about that with info specific to the state, with sources like state records, news reports and the industry themselves.”

When asked about the announcement from GREY2K, Raynham Park spokesman Connor Yunits said,
“We have no comment.”

The Repeal the Casino group has started collecting the roughly 69,000 signatures needed to put the question on the November 2014 ballot. However, some observers say even if the group gets the needed signatures within the two-month deadline, the efforts could die in court.

The anti-casino group believes gambling is bad for the community and that it is an industry that harms families and increases crime. Casino proponents have said the gambling legislation will provide thousands of jobs, and gamblers are already spending their money in Connecticut and Rhode Island casinos.

Attorney General Martha Coakley previously ruled their ballot question unconstitutional. In her Sept. 4 decision, Coakley said applicants for a casino license — who pay an initial $400,000 fee — have “implied contracts” with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and those contracts are considered property. So a ban on casinos would be an unconstitutional taking of property.

[This is the same bogus argument that was previously tossed out. How come it seems the AG didn't oppose the ballot question until Doug Rubin became her campaign manager? How come the AG isn't investigating Sticky Finger Piontkowski? What is she hiding?]

Casino opponents have appealed Coakley’s decision, saying her opinion defies legal precedent. But their appeal to the state's Supreme Judicial Court won’t be heard until after the Nov. 20 deadline for collecting signatures.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x915439086/GREY2K-joins-fight-against-casinos

 

Parx, Bensalem Coming to Raynham

This is the partner seeking a Slot Barn in Raynham, Massachusetts....

Bill Kearney

Massachusetts ‘Gaming’ Future

Bucks County Courier Times - October 28, 2013 - Cops: Man who claimed he lost at Parx tried taking $40K back

More proof that casinos ‘BREED’ compulsive casino gambling degenerates who become criminals....

A 27-year-old New York City man, who claims he lost “a lot” of money at the Bensalem casino allegedly tried to steal more than $40,000 worth of gaming chips from a blackjack table.

Pennsylvania State Police said Parx security managed to force Radik Pinkhasov, of Queens, to drop the 18 chips he stole out of a dealer’s rack.

Witnesses told police Pinkhasov was hanging around the high-limit table around 10:45 a.m., but not playing. Instead he was sitting at the table making “rude and vulgar” statements to other players, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The dealer said Pinkhasov kept repeating he’d lost a lot of money at the casino and made “disturbing and non-general threatening statements,” the affidavit said.

Suddenly, Pinkhasov made a move toward the dealer and his chip rack and managed to snag the chips worth $43,575, police said. A security officer quickly intervened and forced Pinkhasov to drop the chips.

Surveillance footage shows Pinkhasov lunge forward out of his seat and begin grabbing chips out of the tray, police said. The dealer tried to push his hands. That is when a security officer grabbed the suspect’s right hand containing the chips.

Pinkhasov was arraigned Monday before Bensalem District Judge Joseph Falcone on charges of robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct. He was sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/crime/cops-man-who-claimed-he-lost-at-parx-tried-taking/article_3b1c095c-4074-5ba3-a475-ad6af6586707.html#user-comment-areaSee More

 

BUDGET BREAKDOWN: Capital investment in the Parx Casino proposal

BUDGET BREAKDOWN: Capital investment in the Parx Casino proposal

By Marc Larocque

Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter

Posted Oct 28, 2013

TAUNTON —

$277.3 million: The total capital investment in the Parx Casino plan in Raynham.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission last week publicly released application documents from the three developers vying for the single slots parlor license in Massachusetts. Raynham Park LLC, a partnership between Raynham Park owner George Carney and Pennsylvania-based Greenwood Racing, hopes to win the license to build a slots parlor at the former dog track in Raynham. While application documents marked “confidential” were not made public, the 236-page application provides a basic breakdown of the proposal’s finances.

$45 million: Equity contributed by Greenwood Racing.
$11 million: Equity contributed by Carney Family LLC through transfer of land and assets to Raynham Park LLC.
$125 million: Bank financing from syndicate of lenders led by Credit Suisse.
$46.3 million: Capital generated by a year of operating a temporary slots parlor while a permanent facility is built.
More information: massgaming.com

Read more: BUDGET BREAKDOWN: Capital investment in the Parx Casino proposal - Raynham, MA - Raynham Call http://www.wickedlocal.com/raynham/news/x1745250300/BUDGET-BREAKDOWN-Capital-investment-in-the-Parx-Casino-proposal#ixzz2j6upJLia
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W. Bridgewater official wants town to reach deal with Raynham Park

“As leaders of town owe it to residents not to promote additional hardship,” Gagne said. “If the project is to be built, we owe it to residents to provide the best mitigation plan available. … The town of West Bridgewater just needs financial relief to mitigate the expected 2,800 extra cars per day that will travel through the town.”

Many supporters of Raynham Park, from Brockton, Easton and other nearby communities, spoke out in favor of George Carney and Raynham Park.

There were also members of the labor group Unite Here, urging Carney and Greenwood Racing to reach a “labor harmony agreement” to create a level playing field for workers. At this point, there is no labor harmony agreement in place as part of Raynham Park’s gaming license application.

One speaker from Unite Here said that a strong union ensures a safe working environment for women in the gambling and hospitality industry. A representative from Unite Here said they did have a positive meeting with Raynham Park owner George Carney, but that they have not heard back from his operating partner, Greenwood Racing.

Several former Raynham Park workers, including several from Easton, talked about their time at Raynham Park before layoffs resulting from a statewide ban on dog racing enacted in 2010, saying that they were able to go to college, buy their homes and achieve their dreams by saving money while working at the track. The supporters of the track said they want hundreds of jobs that were lost to come back to Raynham Park. Vendors who have worked with George Carney also spoke in his favor during the hearing, saying Carney supports other local businesses. Several speakers also attested to the Carney family staying loyal to Raynham and keeping the park open, supporting local families, even in tough times.

Charles W. Tartaglia, a friend of Carney from Easton, told the audience about how Raynham Park would be an ideal venue for boxing. As of right now, the closest venue for good boxing matches is Foxwoods or Twin River.

“Boxing here would be a boon for the whole area,” Tartaglia said.