Be In The Know Before You Vote On Slots Parlors
All things being equal, Central Massachusetts has a 40-percent chance of becoming home to the state's only slots parlor that was authorized in the 2011 gaming expansion law. Now that voters in Millbury and Leominster will have their say in a little more than seven weeks, we hope they take this time to carefully examine the pros and cons that can come with having a gambling facility in their backyard.
Granted, the commonwealth's process for siting up to three casinos and a slots parlor is lengthy and detailed, providing for at least three phases of approval, as well as extensive background checks on the developers. An advantage for the Millbury and Leominster proposals is that, as of the middle of last week, their developers were the only two deemed suitable by the state gaming commission of the five seeking the slots license. Developers in Raynham, Plainville and Tewksbury must still pass that hurdle.
The allure of more jobs is enticing, for sure, especially as the state and nation continue to climb out of the Great Recession. Certainly, officials in Leominster, which had a 9.7-percent unemployment rate in June, would want more of its residents working. So, for city politicians, what's not to like about the promise of more than 1,000 jobs that the slots parlor would bring, with preference given to city residents?
The core principle of a democratic society calls for the people to have the ultimate say. However, City Council President Susan Chalifoux Zephir was right to call for the completion of studies on the potential impact on businesses, property values, traffic and public services before the vote.
For both Central Massachusetts communities, that may be asking for a lot within such a tight time frame. After Cordish Cos., the Leominster developer, and Mass Gaming & Entertainment, Millbury's developer, struck out in other communities — notably Worcester and Boxborough — it's a shame the process allowed the clock to nearly run out, leaving both communities with little more than two months to digest all the necessary data to make an informed choice. Because, after the voters have their say, the state takes over, with final plans for all voter-approved sites due to the gaming commission by Oct. 4. Then, the commission hopes to award the slots license by the end of the year.
But here are two important points in the debate that should not be overlooked:
• What will happen to the state lottery, which just last week reported its second most profitable year, netting $952 million on record sales of $4.8 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30?
• Will there be enough of a gambling market? A recent study by the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth leaves us skeptical. For example, the percentage of visitors to Rhode Island's facilities in Lincoln and Newport fell from 2008 to 2012, even more precipitously for the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut.
Our stand on casino gambling in Massachusetts remains the same: We're against it because of the potential long-term, negative effects on business, especially entertainment venues. Also, the allure of added tax revenue and jobs, especially lower-wage jobs, can potentially marginalize a town and a region, and we could do without that in Central Massachusetts. We also believe the addition of gaming facilities in other Northeastern states could dilute the product, potentially causing revenue to fall short of goals, which could impact the amount of money host communities would receive.
So, we encourage — in fact, urge — voters in Millbury and Leominster, as well as in Plainville, Raynham and Tewksbury, to be fully informed before they cast their ballots.
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