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/#

Sucking $$$ out of the local economy?

Where do you think the money comes from?

FROM MASSTERLIST: 

Despite strong month, Plainridge short of year-one projections

Gross gaming revenue at the Plainridge Park slots parlor rose to $13.8 million in July, a 9 percent increase over the month before and one of the strongest months since the state’s first casino opened last year, Gintautus Dumcius of MassLive reports. For its first year of operation, Plainridge paid just over $88 million to the state, short of the $105 million in revenue projected before it opened, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission said.  Meanwhile, would-be casino operators at the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe say they want to formally be party to an ongoing federal lawsuit filed by neighbors seeking to block them from opening the First Light casino in Taunton. George Brennan of the Cape Cod Times reports that the tribe filed a request Monday to be party to likely appeals to be filed by the Department of the Interior after a federal judge ruled that officials erred when allowing the tribe to place the Taunton land into a trust.

Slots ringing at Plainville

The Lowell Sun

UPDATED:   08/15/2016

Colin A. Young

State House News Service

BOSTON -- Plainridge Park Casino had its best month of the year in July, pulling in nearly $14 million in gross revenue during the month, the Gaming Commission announced Monday.

The $13,877,522.81 in gross gaming revenue collected from the slots parlor in July is the greatest yield since August 2015, the second full month the Plainville parlor was open.

In total, players put $185,086,244.23 into Plainridge's slot machines and video table games in July -- a record amount for the slots parlor. Revenue from the gambling facility, the first to open under the 2012 expanded gaming law, is taxed at 49 percent, the Gaming Commission said, meaning the state's cut for July was $6.8 million. Of that, 82 percent -- or $5,551,021.12 -- will be returned to the state to be distributed to cities and towns as local aid and 18 percent -- or $1,248,979.75 -- will go into the Race Horse Development Fund, an account designed to sweeten purses for live horse races in Massachusetts.

Since Plainridge Park opened in June 2015, the state has collected $71,969,795.87 for local aid and another $16,193,204.07 for the horse racing fund, a total of $88,162,999.94 in collected state taxes, according to the Gaming Commission.

Once two resort casinos under development open to gamblers, Massachusetts can expect to pull in close to $300 million in annual gaming revenue and municipalities can likely plan on more state aid flowing their way, Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby said on the radio last week.

http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_30248763/slots-ringing-at-plainville

Massachusetts: Gaming projections can't be taken seriously

To SELL Predatory Gambling to an unsuspecting electorate, EXPERTS overstated revenue projections that were easily disproved. 

There are no consequences to the foolhardy, but there are for lawmakers who follow the same Yellow Brick Road. 

Gaming projections can't be taken seriously

The Lowell Sun

UPDATED:   08/14/2016

It would nice if the rosy tax revenue projections from the state's budding casino empire come true, but we're expressing caution.

Don't spend what you don't have.

But Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby already is greasing the way for the tax-and-spenders on Beacon Hill to expand the budget belt buckle a few notches.

Crosby told the State House News Service that once the resort casinos in Springfield and Everett are opened, Massachusetts can anticipate $300 million in annual gaming revenue. His estimated breakdown follows:

n $100 million from the MGM casino in Springfield;

n $100 million from the Wynn Boston Harbor casino in Everett;

n $80 million from the slots parlor at Plainridge Park in Plainville.

Sounds all well and good -- if it happens.

We're not sure how Crosby arrived at his figures, but his expert analysis hasn't proved correct at the slots parlor.

In more than a year since it opened, Plainridge Park has yielded the state $68 million in tax revenue -- a far cry from the original annual projection of $83 million. At present, the slots parlor has a monopoly, but when the competition of two full-blown casinos arrives, it's going to be a tough slog for Plainville to increase its take -- and yet Crosby's estimating an $80 million tax haul.

Also at play is the impact of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe's First Light casino in Taunton, a 30-minute drive from Plainville.

The first phase of the $1 billion project is expected to open next summer, although federal litigation over a land dispute could cause a delay.

Then there's Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., which is but 20 minutes away from Plainville.

The competition is heating up both inside and outside the Bay State.

Massachusetts gaming law directs nearly all of the tax revenue derived from the casinos and slots parlor to local aid for cities and towns. That's a good thing. So even if Crosby's estimates don't turn out exactly as promised, the resulting yield will be a much-needed boost to municipalities.

But casino-gaming revenues -- just like capital-stock gains -- can't be counted on to deliver the same or higher returns from year to year. A Center for Gaming Research study (2001-2015) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas shows that gaming revenues in 23 states closely mirrored the ebbs and flows of the U.S. economy. And the growth is minimal at best. (In 15 years, total U.S. gaming revenue has grown from $35 billion to $40 billion annually -- a modest 14 percent increase largely attributed to the growing number of casinos.)

Massachusetts continues to run an annual "structural" deficit, now pegged at $240 million but more likely it's $350 million because of health-care premium increases that the Legislature left on the table.

The $39.1 billion budget is built on a Hail Mary pass that tax revenues will materialize down the road. A more realistic scenario is that Gov. Charlie Baker will be forced to make 9C emergency spending cuts during 2017 to balance the budget.

It's all comes down to a simple equation: the state shouldn't spend more than it takes in.

Likewise, it shouldn't count on gaming-tax revenues until the greenbacks are counted in the state treasury.

http://www.lowellsun.com/opinion/ci_30245148/gaming-projections-cant-be-taken-seriously

Plainridge Park casino fined $10,000 for alcohol violations

By Dan Glaun  
Follow on Twitter 
on August 08, 2016

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has fined Plainville's Plainridge Park Casino $10,000 for violating alcohol regulations.

The casino, which is run by Penn National Gaming, was the subject of random and unannounced compliance checks by the gaming commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau in April and May.

During those checks, investigators recorded violations of alcohol storage requirements and service limits, the gaming commission said in a press release.

"During the period of April 19, 2016 to May 8, 2016, gaming agents observed seven incidents of noncompliance pertaining to alcohol storage requirements involving unsecured doors to refrigerators containing alcohol," the commission said. "During the period of April 24, 2016 to May 7, 2016, IEB gaming agents observed 13 incidents of noncompliance regarding alcohol distribution. In these instances, gaming agents observed the delivery of more than two drinks to an individual patron at a time, which is contrary to regulations adopted by the Gaming Commission."

Plainridge Park waived its right to a hearing and took steps to address the violations, including new training, signage at each casino bar explaining the rules, the termination of an employee, disciplinary talks with other employees and increased managerial oversight.

"Plainridge Park Casino is committed to responsible beverage service," Plainridge Park Casino Vice President and General Manager Lance George said in a statement. "We take full responsibility for the infractions and have taken proactive steps to remedy these types of unfortunate occurrences in the future." 

Plainridge Park, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in June, pays 49 percent of its gambling revenue in taxes and has paid $81.9 million into the state coffers as of July.

It is in competition with the Twin River Casino just 11 miles away across the Rhode Island Border and has faced questions about its financial performance since state officials slashed their expectation for the gaming facility after its launch in June 2015.

The state initially expected to take in $105 million per year in tax revenues. With slots intake not meeting targets, that projection was lowered to $83 million.

But both Plainridge Park and gaming commissioner chairman Steven Crosby are sanguine about the casino's economic performance.

"I don't know anything about their internal arithmetic, but I know that they are generating more revenue per machine than most of the other casino launches in the last one or two decades," Crosby told MassLive last month. "So they're doing very well by industry standards. So I'm sure they're doing well, too."

Revenues have plateaued or dropped in recent months but are up since a low of $11.3 million in gross revenue in December. Gross gaming revenue for the casino fell to $12.3 million in June, after seeing $13.5 million in May.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/plainridge_park_casino_fined_1.html

Vote no on 'predatory gambling' in Tiverton

Guest Opinion: Vote no on 'predatory gambling' in Tiverton

Here are 10 reasons to oppose the expansion of state-sponsored predatory gambling in Rhode Island.

By John E. Higginbotham
and the Interfaith Clergy of Tiverton and Little ComptonPosted Jun. 22, 2016

On June 13, the Providence Journal reported that Twin River management would begin a statewide campaign to persuade Rhode Island voters to approve the casino referendum, Question 1, on the ballot in November for the construction of a $75 million casino on 45 acres of land off Route 81 in Tiverton.

Twin River Chairman John Taylor’s kick-off campaign will point to the 550-600 new jobs the casino will ultimately create along with hundreds of jobs in construction.

Here’s the rub: That’s if they win the permission of the voters in Tiverton. The population of Tiverton is approximately 14,000. On Election Day, the final vote in Tiverton determines the go/no go decision for the casino.

Tiverton is like many small towns in Rhode Island. property taxes are high and the town is strapped for cash. Many Tivertonians could care less about gambling or the casino. They are focused on the promised $3 million-a-year in tax relief.

The question for Tiverton is simple: Are you willing to risk the future health of your beautiful home town based upon the promises made by a casino operator? In typical casino fashion, the odds will always be stacked against the gambler.

Another casino in Rhode Island, planted in Tiverton, is a lose-lose situation, especially for Tiverton. Rhode Islanders generally, and Tivertonians particularly, will ultimately pay for it in losses in the casino and businesses in the town. In the long run, when the casino is no longer profitable, the casino will pick up its chips and walk away in typical casino fashion, a la Atlantic City.

So, why should you care?

Here are 10 reasons to oppose the expansion of state-sponsored predatory gambling in Rhode Island.

• Any short-term benefits from a Tiverton area “convenience” casino would be heavily outweighed by its longer-term economic and social costs.

• The Northeast is becoming oversaturated with casinos. Fewer out-of-staters would visit the proposed casino in Tiverton to gamble, especially with the new Plainville Casino and the $1 billion dollar proposed First Light Casino planned in Taunton by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.

• The proposed convenience casino would keep some residents from going out of state to gamble. But its main effect would be to expand casino gambling in Rhode Island by encouraging current Rhode Island gamblers to gamble more frequently and encouraging local people in Tiverton, Fall River and New Bedford who do not currently gamble to do so. Moreover, if casino operators win approval for a Tiverton area casino, it will be Tiverton area people and local businesses that will be sucked dry by a business that will do anything to part them from their money and their customers. In other words, the aim of the casino is not to send gamblers elsewhere to spend their money (with local businesses) but rather to seek to engage their customers to spend all they can within casino walls.

• Those 550-600 jobs, the profits, and the tax revenue produced by a convenience casino would be funded overwhelmingly by the gambling losses of Rhode Island residents generally, and East Bay folks particularly, which would merely redistribute existing money within the state without creating any net economic gain.

• With the Northeast facing a casino glut, it makes little sense from an economic development standpoint to open another casino in Tiverton. Casino winnings are flat or shrinking in many states, a third of New Jersey’s casinos have closed, and Connecticut’s casino revenue is down 40 percent from its peak. A 2016 study by the Nelson Rockefeller Institute of Government in New York warns, “… while new casinos may generate short-run increases in public revenues, those revenues can quickly reverse and decline.”

• Casinos have been increasingly turning to part-time jobs to reduce wage costs and eliminate medical benefits. Casino workers interviewed in a recent New Jersey study said they would not recommend casino jobs for their children because of the shift from full-time jobs with benefits to part-time positions that do not offer enough pay and benefits to sustain a family in today’s economy.

• Casino gambling represents a regressive tax that hits low-wage earners, the poor, minorities, and the elderly the hardest, thereby contributing to economic and social inequality.

• State sponsored predatory casino gambling spreads gambling addiction, debt, bankruptcies, broken families, and increases in suicide and crime, particularly embezzlement, within 10 miles of the facility. Multiple studies show that 35 to 50 percent of casino gambling profits come from problem gamblers. In other words, the casino industry’s very business model is dependent upon preying on addicted gamblers, and up to half the money government obtains from casino gambling comes from exploiting addicted citizens and the people close to them.

• According to a landmark report from the Institute for American Values, a non-partisan think tank, the new local and regional casinos drain wealth from communities, weaken nearby businesses, hurt property values, and reduce civic participation, family stability, and other forms of social capital that are at the heart of a successful community.

• More gambling is not an answer to Rhode Island’s financial problems. In fact, once all the economic and social costs are factored in, economist Earl Grinols, the country’s leading independent expert on the subject, concludes that on average the cost-to-benefit ratio of bringing a casino into a new area is greater than 3-1.

Fr. John E. Higginbotham is rector of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Tiverton. The Interfaith Clergy of Tiverton and Little Compton include Rev. Charles Simonson, Rev. William Sterrett, Rev. Missy Quay, Rev. Joseph Runner and Rev. Rebecca Floyd Marshall.

http://www.heraldnews.com/opinion/20160622/guest-opinion-vote-no-on-predatory-gambling-in-tiverton

Taunton Daily Gazette Promise of jobs kicks off campaign for Tiverton casino Taunton Daily Gazette Promise of jobs kicks off campaign for Tiverton casino ... and instead guaranteed Massachusetts 17 percent of gaming revenues from the tribal casino.