Balancing the ballot question arguments

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They argue thousands of Massachusetts children are stuck on charter ... Revere voters rejected a localslots ballot question last month but McCain can ...

Documents reveal true backers of drive for a 2nd slots parlor The Boston Globe The $3.2 million campaign to open a second slots parlor in Massachusetts has been secretly financed by a team of developers who brought gambling ...

Mass. likely voters skeptical of Question 1 allowing 2nd slots parlor, Western New England University poll says

By Gintautas Dumcius

November 04, 2016

Fifty percent of likely voters in Massachusetts aren't interested in allowing the state to set up a second slots parlor, according to a new poll from the Western New England University Polling Institute.

Thirty-two percent said they back the proposal, known as Question 1. Seventeen percent said they're undecided.

Tim Vercellotti, the Polling Institute's director, called the high number of undecided voters "usual" as Nov. 8 draws closer.

"Our interviewers reported many instances in which survey respondents simply did not understand the term 'slots parlor' in the question," Vercellotti said in a statement accompanying survey results.

"The ballot that voters will view on Tuesday has a lengthy explanation of the term, and the actual results of the ballot question could be very different from what we are seeing in our survey," he said.

Under the Massachusetts expanded gambling law passed in 2011, the Gaming Commission can authorize up to three casinos and one slot parlor.

The state's sole slots parlor, operating under the name Plainridge Park Casino, located near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, opened in June 2015. The MGM casino in Springfield and the Wynn Resorts casino in Everett, north of Boston, are expected to open in the coming years.

Developer Eugene McCain is the primary backer of the question that would allow a second slots parlor. He is arguing approval of the question will bring jobs to Massachusetts and he's seeking to place it in Revere.

But Revere voters rejected a non-binding referendum on allowing the casino to be sited in their city. Opponents of the question say it was "written by one casino developer, for one purpose: his own financial gain," according to a summary of arguments provided by the state's elections division.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/11/mass_likely_voters_skeptical_o.html

CONGRATULATIONS! REVERE SAYS NO DICE ON SLOT BARN

REVERE SAYS NO DICE ON SLOTS

October 19, 2016

Debbie P. DiGiulio, administrative assistant in the Mayor’s office, shows Revere Mayor Brian M. Arrigo the voting results regarding slot machines on Tuesday. (Photo by Paula Muller)

By Thomas Grillo

REVERE — Voters overwhelmingly rejected a slots parlor near the shuttered Suffolk Downs race track.

In a lopsided 65 to 35 percent vote Tuesday, the city joined Mayor Brian Arrigo and the Beacon Hill delegation in saying no to what opponents called the wrong kind of economic development for the city.

“Obviously tonight, the people of Revere sent a resounding message that no amount of dark money and no amount of false advertising would persuade them to be for a bad idea,” said Arrigo. “Having a coalition of state and local leaders who spoke with the same voice to say this isn’t about being pro- or anti-gaming, this is about being for good ideas and against bad ideas and this is a bad idea.”

Voters in every one of the city’s 21 precincts rejected Tuesday’s non-binding initiative petition that sought approval for any future slot parlor license awarded in Revere to be located on a site that fronts Revere Beach Parkway, Winthrop Parkway and Pratt Court.

The vote delivers a defeat to investor Eugene McCain, who has an option to buy the parcels for more than $6.5 million. He moved to the city to advance his proposal and vowed the project would generate more than $80 million in new revenues for the state annually, $12 million to support horse racing, $5 million for Revere and 500 new jobs.

McCain did not respond to a request for comment.

In an interview last week with the Item, McCain, the managing director of Alliante Capital, was confident that voters want a slots parlor. He was betting on a complicated process that involves local approval for the Revere site and a statewide thumbs-up for an additional slots parlor on the November ballot.

Even if voters had approved the plan in Revere, it faced an uncertain future at the polls next month.

The statewide vote on Nov. 8, Question 1 on the ballot, would allow for a slots parlor at a location at least four acres in size and within 1,500 feet of a race track. The proposal is for a gaming establishment with no table games and no more than 1,250 slot machines.

In addition, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission would have to sign off on the second slots parlor. Observers say such an outcome seems doubtful since it would upend rules of two casinos and one slots parlor that were agreed upon prior to the start of issuing licenses.

The Gaming Commission awarded a resort casino license for the $2 billion Wynn Boston Harbor project in Everett, the $950 million MGM in Springfield and the $250 million Plainridge Park Casino, a slots parlor in Plainville.

Robert Selevitch, a West Revere resident who campaigned against the proposal, was thrilled at the vote.

“The people of Revere saw this proposal as something less than the last one that was here for a full destination resort casino by a very reputable casino operator in Mohegan Sun, this proposal was a slot parlor by group of people who would not identify themselves and had a very shady financial background,” he said. “They presented an option that the people of Revere didn’t see as beneficial.”

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Thomas Grillo can be reached at tgrillo@itemlive.com.

http://www.itemlive.com/news/revere-says-no-dice-on-slots/

MASACHUSETTS BALLOT QUESTION 1: Mass. voters asked to allow second slots BARN license

With Casino Vultures....only the names change! 

Mass. voters asked to allow second slots license

by ADAM BAGNI, NBC 10 NEWS

Tuesday, October 18th 2016

Ballot Question 1 in Massachusetts is really all about a single plot of land in Revere.

A casino developer wants to place a hotel and more than 1,200 slot machines on a rundown trailer park adjacent to Suffolk Downs.

Supporters claim it'll create hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenue.

"We want to take advantage of all these millions of people coming in and out of Logan that, for the most part, if they can't get a hotel room in downtown Boston, they stay out near the airport," said Jason Osborne of the Horse Racing Jobs and Education Committee.

But opponents have called the plan "little league."

Nearly all elected officials in the area are against it. Many are worried about not only social impacts, but also market saturation.

"This proposal really falls far outside the parameters of what was intended by the state legislature. They're circumventing the process at every turn," said Celeste Ribeiro Myers, of the Committee for Sustainable and Responsible Economic Development.

The Yes campaign may not have the support of politicians, but they claim they have the people.

Revere residents have voted in favor of casino projects, twice, though this project isn't backed by Suffolk Downs.

"Let the voters decide. We submitted a petition with over 8,400 signatures from Revere residents," Osborne said.

But the No campaign insists it's too soon to make changes to the state's gaming laws, and worries that a passing measure focused on a single casino could lead to more.

Even if the measure passes, the Gaming Commission has no obligation to issue another license.

"To allow folks to come in and buy the civic engagement process is just a bad precedent to set," Ribeiro Myers said.

If you're wondering what the state's current and proposed casino operators think, they haven't taken a stance.

http://turnto10.com/politics/mass-voters-asked-to-approve-second-slots-license

Revere Slot Barn: Special Election on Slots Oct 18

Special Election on Slots Oct 18

October 14, 2016

By Journal Staff

Revere voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, October 18 and cast their vote to approve or disapprove a request for a slots casino parlor to be built in 400-room hotel located at the current trailer park on Revere Beach Parkway.

The special election is not without its controversy or confusion. Yes, there will be a special election October 18, a statewide election on November 8 and another special election in 2017 or later.

The October 18 special election this Tuesday resulted when developer Eugene McCain, of the The Revere Jobs and Education Committee, collected enough signatures to place a question on a special election ballot. To confuse matters another initiative petition question calling for an additional statewide slot license has also been placed on the November 8 election ballot.

The Revere Jobs and Education Committee’s initiated petition gathered over 4,800 city-certified signatures from Revere voters.

If the question passes on October 18, then McCain ends up gaining the ability to have a specific spot in Revere for a slots parlor casino if the slot parlor request is approved in the November 8 election. The other condition of the November 8 question is that the gaming establishment must be within 1,500 feet of a horse racing facility. The Suffolk Downs area would fit this criteria but the operators have no interest in the slots parlor casino proposed.

If the local question fails in Revere on October 18, voters will still vote on November 8 for statewide approval. If this vote fails statewide then question dies. If it passes, McCain and his group will be allowed to petition the Gaming Commission for the slot parlor gaming license that is available.

Mayor Brian Arrigo and a host of other officials have publicly opposed the slots casino parlor, including State Sen. Joe Boncore, State Rep. RoseLee Vincent, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, City Councillors Jessica Giannino, Steve Morabito, Arthur Guinasso, Joanne McKenna, John Powers, Robert Haas and Ira Novoselsky; School Committee members Susan Gravellese, Carol Tye, Stacey Rizzo, Mike Ferrante, Fred Sanella and Dan Maguire.

Arrigo held a rally of public officials on September 28 and met with residents of Hyman Towers to discuss the October 18 special election last Friday.

“As community leaders we hold high standards for the future of our city,” Arrigo told residents of Hyman Towers. 

“This debate is not about being “for” or “about” gaming. This debate is about being for good ideas and against bad ideas. This slot proposal is simply a bad idea for our community.”

Arrigo has noted that the city is working on its image as part of the city’s economic development work.

Nick Connors, campaign manager with the The Revere Jobs and Education Committee and the YES to 1 Committee, said they are working hard and confident they will win this vote. They have been busy conducting polls and making calls to potential voters.

“I think we have tremendous support,” Connors said from his office on Broadway. “Revere needs an infusion of 300-400 jobs and infusion in infrastructure and $5 million for the city. It’s the last opportunity for a complex like this.”

 with a hotel to draw from Logan Airport.” [sic]

The Trail to Oct. 18

The city took McCain to court in July to stop the special election and again in early September, claiming the election would burden the city with a cost of $70,000.

McCain and his associates have connected with a Las Vegas company to manage everything concerning the potential development of a slots casino.

Navegante, a gaming and hospitality company, based in the Las Vegas area will be having one of its leaders working in Revere. Gary Armentout, who has over 35 years of experience in the casino/hospitality industry has worked on casinos outside of Toronto and with Foxwoods. He also worked on Harvey’s Resorts, Vanguard Gaming and several riverboat casinos along the Mississippi River.

“Support and enthusiasm from Revere citizens is very high. People understand that 300-400 good paying jobs, annual revenue of at least $5 million, thousands of union construction jobs are exactly what Revere needs,” said Jason Osborne, Campaign Chairman for Yes on 1 and The Revere Jobs and Education Committee. “We have walked into over 65 businesses, spoke on the phone with over a thousand voters, and the positive sentiment is north of 70 percent. It’s now a question of having people remember to vote on October 18. A Yes Vote on October 18 is a Vote for Jobs and More Revenue to the City.”

But Mayor Arrigo has said the “slot parlor proposal presented to the city was poorly written, poorly conceived and haphazardly concocted, with no details provided about contributions to the city, transportation upgrades, infrastructure improvements, jobs for Revere residents or mitigation for traffic or crime.”

“Massachusetts’ gaming law is praised as one of the most comprehensive and forward-looking in the nation. When we crafted the law my main focus was on boosting the economy and creating jobs. Key to that effort was creating an independent Gaming Commission which conducts thorough market analyses and then makes informed decisions. This slapdash proposal would upset the deliberate and delicate balance we worked so hard to create. 

Therefore, I stand in opposition to Question 1,” said Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo.

The Twist and Turns

The special election question on October 18 and the whole situation with the attempt to set up a slot parlor casino has a twist or two. A ‘yes’ vote simply means that the group “Revere Jobs and Education Committee” would secure a location for a slots only casino.  A ‘no’ vote would let everyone know how the voters of Revere feel about a slots parlor in their community.

However, the casino group can still look forward to the statewide vote on Question 1 on Nov. 8 as a way to be eligible for a gaming license. If the question fails statewide the issue of a slots casino in Revere dies regards of the October 18 vote. If the question passes it will be up to the state Gaming Commission to issue a gaming license. If the license is applied for the Gaming Commission requires another Special Election . Depending on the commission the Special Election could be held in 2017 or beyond. McCain’s group would have to pay for that election through the Gaming Commission.

The Question

As with most ballot questions, the wording can also be tricky. The following is the wording of the question on the Oct. 18 ballot: “Do you approve the measure summarized below.? The proposed measure provides in full: No person or entity shall hold a Category 2 gaming license, as such term is defined in MGL ch. 23K section 2, unless such Category 2 license is issued, following the licensing process outlined in MGL ch. 23K for a site that is at least four acres in size and includes lands that front both Revere Beach Parkway, Winthrop Parkway and Pratt Court.

“Approval of this measure would limit the planning of any future slot parlor gaming facility licensed by the State Gaming Commission to a location in the City of Revere that is at least four acres in size and that fronts on both 

“Revere Beach Parkway/Winthrop Parkway” and Pratt Court.”

“Rejection of this measure would mean that the possible future location of any slot gaming facility would continue to be subject to the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Even if approved, the measure would only be possible if a slot parlor gaming license becomes available due to state law or if a license from an existing operation is returned to the state.”

Polls will be open in Revere from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

http://www.reverejournal.com/2016/10/14/special-election-on-slots-oct-18/

Massachusetts Ballot Question !: Slot BARN in Revere denounced by mayor

The Gambling Vultures promise to pave the streets with GOLD, solve ALL fiscal problems...when they fail to deliver....? There are no consequences. 

Atlantic City crime and poverty.....and lawmakers still haven't figured it out.....

Massachusetts Voters rallied around the BOGUS promises that were easily discredited......Unions accepted the False promises.....Massachusetts voters fell for it.....

Slot  BARN in Revere denounced by mayor

 K Morrison
October 2, 2016

Recently, Revere Mayor Brian M. Arrigo along with other city leaders launched an opposition campaign opposing a proposed slots parlor and hotel on Revere Beach Parkway near the Suffolk Downs racetrack.

After a group led by real estate developer Eugene McCain collected almost 5,000 signatures in an initiative petition process, city officials scheduled a special municipal election for October 18 at which time Revere voters will decide whether or not to approve the project. McCain’s group also collected nearly 100,000 signatures in June winning the right to have the statewide ballot question known as Question 1 placed before voters on November 8. Arrigo, who called the project “Little League,” urged voters to reject the proposal, saying it was poorly conceived and written, will not deliver on its promises, and is not the right fit for the Revere community. At a recent news conference regarding the situation, Arrigo said, “This isn’t about being pro- or anti-gaming. It’s about good and bad ideas,” and, “Look at the proponents’ shoddy proposal, look at their lack of a track record, and ask yourself if this meets the high standards that we have for our community,” according to The Boston Globe.

The mayor noted that so far, no elected official, including Governor Charlie Baker, has shown support for the project introduced by McCain. The international developer wants to build a 1,250-slot facility in the area around Suffolk Downs; however, a gambling license is not available under state law. The McCain-led petition drive in June seeks to amend Massachusetts law and lift the limit of casinos allowed in the state and allow a second slots-only license in a specific location. In order to prevent oversaturation of the market, only three casinos and one slots parlor, in separate defined geographic areas in the state, were legalized in the 2011 gambling law.

Earlier plans that would have turned the Suffolk Downs racetrack into a resort-style casino complex were approved twice by Revere voters, however, after being rejected first by voters in East Boston and then by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, those plans were thwarted. Revere was bypassed by the latter in favor of the $1.6 billion Wynn Boston Harbor development in neighboring Everett.

A slots parlor in Revere would have to compete with the Wynn resort, which is just three miles from the site of McCain’s proposed slots-only facility. Arrigo stated in the lengthy statement that an example of the struggle a slots-only facility will face competing with a full-fledged casino located within close proximity is the Plainridge slot parlor in Plainville. Arrigo said, “Initial estimates suggested Plainridge could make $300 million in its first year of operation; as of April, it was on pace to make just over half of that estimate ($160 million). This is after going to great lengths to make up for a disappointing opening, including offering players up to $1,000 in free slot play,” and that, “There is simply no way a slot parlor located a few miles from a full-fledged resort casino will be able to deliver on its revenue promises,” according to the statement. The mayor’s statement names 14 city officials, including himself, that have joined against the slot casino.

Recently, MGM Resorts International, which is spending $950 million on its MGM Springfield casino, joined Wynn Resorts Limited in opposing the upcoming state-wide ballot initiative. And last week, McCain’s group announced that it hired Las Vegas-based casino developer and manager, Navegante, led by Larry J. Woolf, former president and CEO of MGM Grand in Las Vegas, to aid its effort to build the slots facility.

https://news.worldcasinodirectory.com/slot-casino-in-revere-denounced-by-mayor-35228

Slots Casino Group Takes on Partner

October 1, 2016

By Journal Staff

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Now that the city is going forward with a special election on Oct. 18 both sides have begun their arguments for and against a proposed slot parlor casino at the site of Lee’s Trailer Park on Revere Beach Parkway.

City and state-level officials are expected to hold a press conference today (Wednesday) at 1 p.m. in front of city hall to voice opposition to the proposal. Expected to attend the press conference is Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, State Rep. RoseLee Vincent and State Sen. Joe Boncore.

In a statement, Mayor Brian Arrigo said “the fly-by-night proposal to build a slot parlor would not be beneficial to the city, and could undermine the progress Revere has made toward reinventing its image.”

Eugene McCain and his associates who are seeking a possible gaming licenses if Question 1 is approved in November,  have partnered with a Las Vegas company to manage everything of a slots casino.

Navegante, a gaming and hospitality company, based outside of Las Vegas will be having one of its leaders working in Revere. Gary Armentout, who has over 35 year of experience in the casino/hospitality industry has worked on casinos outside of Toronto and with Foxwoods. He also worked on Harvey’s Resorts, Vanguard Gaming and several riverboat casinos along the Mississippi River.

He was also the corporate attorney for Harrah’s and has practice gaming law.

“I’m impressed with the group,” Armentout said, who’s worked on gaming development and gaming management. He has been a consultant and worked with both Native American and private casinos. “Once the license is in place I’ll be there for input and advice.”

Armentout noted that he has worked in other communities that have voiced opposition to casinos. He will work with the architects and developers. In his time he has built 10 difference casino/hotels.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Revere,” Armentout said. “This will be a first-class facility that will provide about 450 jobs with benefits. There will be construction jobs too and vendors in the area will also increase the number of jobs. The state will receive $80 million, the city will bring in $5 million in tax revenue and the Horse Racing Development Fund will receive $12-$15 million in support. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

“The Navegante team is excited to be the proposed gaming partner, and to join Gene McCain and his team in Massachusetts. The passion that he has shown for bringing a world-class hotel and limited gaming facility to Revere is second-to-none. The initial renderings and plans leave no doubt in our mind that the facility will be exceptional in every way. I know that the people of Massachusetts are excited about the project, and excited about the possibility of adding thousands of new jobs and tens of millions of new revenue dollars to the State’s budget.”

http://www.reverejournal.com/2016/10/01/slots-casino-group-takes-on-partner/#

Court says Suffolk Downs slots parlor question properly certified for 2016 ballot

SJC clears slots parlor question for November ballot

A 'yes' vote could give Plainridge competition

Posted: Tuesday, June 28, 2016 7:02 pm | Updated: 2:06 pm, Wed Jun 29, 2016.

BY JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF | 0 comments

PLAINVILLE - Voters will get to decide if Plainridge Park Casino will have competition from another slots parlor after a decision by the state Supreme Judicial Court.

The court ruled that an attempt to pass a refendum question allowing for a second slots parlor can go forward to the November election.

The unanimous decision stated that petitioners had met the requirements for getting the question on the ballot. It did not address the merits of the proposed slots parlor, itself.

A reclusive businessman named Eugene McCain is behind the effort, although he has said little about it.

His question asks voters to approve a second slots parlor to be located within 1,500 feet of a horse track.

The harness track at Plainridge already has slot machines. The only other track is Suffolk Downs in Boston, but it has closed down for all but six days a year.

The ballot question would amend a 2011 state law that allows for three resort casinos and one slot parlor in Massachusetts.

There are plans under way for resort casinos in Taunton, Everett and Springfield.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/sjc-clears-slots-parlor-question-for-november-ballot/article_9386c19f-4ace-528f-a3a3-8003ffd6a270.html

Court says Suffolk Downs slots parlor question properly certified for 2016 ballot

By Michael P. Norton / STATE HOUSE NEW SERVICE

Posted Jun. 28, 2016 at 3:02 PM 

A ballot question authorizing a slots parlor with up to 1,250 machines at the former Suffolk Downs horse racing track was properly certified for this November's ballot, according to the Supreme Judicial Court, which on Tuesday rejected the claims of plaintiffs who sought to have the question disqualified.

Ruling in Bogertman v. Attorney General, the high court rejected the assertions of 10 Suffolk County residents, including gambling opponents, that the initiative petition should be ruled ineligible for the ballot under the constitution's "local matters exclusion."

The court concluded that the slots parlor license proposed in the ballot question "could potentially be awarded to a site in many localities, even if it were most likely that it would be awarded to a site near Suffolk Downs," which is on the East Boston-Revere border.

The local matter exclusion is designed to ensure that only matters of statewide concern are put before voters statewide. The court noted that the petition's subject matter - gaming - is regulated by the state and "is plainly an issue of Statewide concern," with the facility's patrons and workers expected to come from outside the area, taxes flowing to the state, and its adverse consequences expected to spill over across municipal borders.

"These factors support submission of the petition to the entire Massachusetts electorate," the court concluded in an opinion written by Chief Justice Ralph Gants.

If approved, the question could lead to a second slots parlor.

After securing a slots license, Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville was the first expanded gambling facility to open under a 2011 law that authorized a single slot parlor and three resort casinos. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has issued licenses for casinos to be located in Everett and Springfield. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is forging ahead with plans to build a tribal casino in Taunton.

The court also rejected the claim that the question should not have been certified because it is "substantially the same" as a matter that appeared on the ballot in either of the two preceding biennial state elections. The plaintiffs argued Question 3 in 2014, which called for a ban on casinos and slot parlors, was substantially the same as the proposed 2016 ballot question. Voters rejected the 2014 question.

Contrasting the casino ban question and this year's ballot question, Gants wrote that the pending proposal "merely seeks to make one incremental change in the licensing scheme for slots parlors by authorizing the commission to award a second license."

Attorney Matthew Cameron represented the plaintiffs and Jeffrey King and Hayley Trahan-Liptak submitted a brief on behalf of Eugene McCain, a Revere resident who is pushing the ballot question.

McCain is the chairman of the Horse Racing Jobs and Education Committee, a ballot committee that lists its mailing address as K&L Gates, a global law firm with a Boston office at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street in Boston.

In a May 1 campaign finance report, the committee listed $284,000 in receipts and an equal amount in expenditures. The receipts all came from Capital Productions LLC based in Wilmington, Delaware. All of the expenditures were for signature gathering and the payments were made to J.E.F. Associates of West Springfield.

McCain filed the carefully worded initiative petition authorizing, but not requiring, the gaming commission to award one additional category 2 slots parlor license for a location that "shall be at least 4 acres large, and shall be adjacent to, and within 1500 feet of, a race track, including the track, grounds, paddocks, barns, auditorium, amphitheatre and/or bleachers, if any, where a horse racing meeting may physically be held, which race track shall have hosted a horse racing meeting, provided that said location is not separated from said race track by a highway railway."

The court wrote that the requirements "do not refer to any particular geographical location, and the plaintiffs have not demonstrated why a developer could not create a new entertainment complex that meets these specifications at any one of many possible locations across the Commonwealth where horse races have been held or could be conducted, and then proceed to apply for the new slots parlor license."

In their opinion, the court notes that counsel for the question's proponents had asserted in a memo that the siting criteria in the question would apply to at least 10 municipalities in Massachusetts that have already hosted horse racing meetings.

While the plaintiffs alleged that McCain has a "property interest" in the land near Suffolk Downs where the slots facility could be built, the court ruled those assertions "are not appropriate for judicial notice, and, even if they were, they would not suffice to show that the proposed law is limited to local matters."

King, who represents McCain, was unable to say Tuesday whether the ballot campaign had gathered sufficient signatures needed to clear an early July hurdle to secure ballot access in November. The committee by next Wednesday must submit at least 10,792 locally certified voter signatures to stay on track for the ballot. A spokesman for Secretary of State William Galvin told the News Service Tuesday that the campaign had so far turned in "some" of its signatures.

Saying it is focused on laws, not motives, the court acknowledged the interests that drive proponents and opponents of ballot questions "may often involve self-interest rather than the public interest," adding that "it may well be true that this petition was motivated by one person's desire to profit from the Commonwealth's developing gaming industry, based on his ownership interest in a particular property."

In court briefs, McCain's attorneys wrote that he "understands that an additional successful slot parlor and commercial development could help invigorate a neighboring race track and the local economy, providing jobs at race tracks and horse breeding farms across the state, providing tax resources for education and other community services, while generally bringing in additional economic revenue to the Commonwealth." His attorneys said McCain has "investigated and pursued the acquisition of properties throughout Massachusetts, including Revere" with the hope of meeting the conditions necessary to qualify for the slots license authorized by the ballot question.

In addition to Suffolk Downs, Plainridge Racecourse and the Brockton Fairgrounds, horse racing meetings have been held over the years in Massachusetts at Berkshire Downs in Hancock, Foxboro Raceway, the Franklin Fair, the Great Barrington Fair, the Marshfield Fair, the Northampton Fair, the Weymouth Fair, and the Middleborough Agricultural Fair, according to a court brief filed by McCain's attorneys. The site of the Franklin Fair is now a shopping plaza and there's a housing development at the location of the Weymouth Fair.

http://reading.wickedlocal.com/news/20160628/court-says-suffolk-downs-slots-parlor-question-properly-certified-for-2016-ballot