Leominster Eyed For Slots Parlor
Promising to bring at least 500 full-time jobs to Leominster, officials from Baltimore-based Cordish Cos. laid out a proposal for a slots parlor in the city at Monday night's City Council meeting.
The firm, which has several developments across the country, including two Hard Rock hotels and casinos in Florida and Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, Md., is seeking the state's only slots parlor license allowed under expanded gaming legislation.
Ward 4 Councilor Robert Salvatelli said the slots parlor proposal will be divisive for Leominster, with "absolutely no guarantee" that Cordish Cos. will win the state's lone slots parlor license. Salvatelli said while he has no moral opposition to gambling, he has not decided whether such an establishment is right for the city.
In a way, Salvatelli said it's not surprising that Cordish would set its sights on Leominster, after failing to win over selectmen in Boxborough in Salisbury.
"Leominster's got a lot of land in an area where there's a highway," Salvatelli said. "And we have been very, very business friendly."
The City Council will have to hold a vote on whether to put the slots parlor proposal on the ballot for a city-wide vote, but first, Mayor Dean Mazzarella must sign a host agreement with Cordish. So far, Salvatelli said city councilors have heard nothing from Mazzarella about his intentions. Mazzarella could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning.
The plan presented to city councilors at Monday's informational meeting included building a facility that would house 1,250 slots games, according to Salvetelli. He said Cordish would spend an estimated $125 million on the project, creating between 500 and 700 full-time jobs, with benefits, and hiring priority would be given to Leominster residents.
Ward 2 Councilor Wayne Nickel said the plan councilors saw Monday night showed restaurants around the slots parlor with some that will be adults only, while others beyond that area will have family-oriented restaurants. He said the plan Cordish said it expects to develop will include the ability for an expansion, including a hotel.
Nickel said councilors and residents raised concerns about noise and brightness of lights at the proposed facility as well as an overall negative impact on the city's image, leading people to be interested in gambling in the city but not living there.
Cordish did not return requests for comment on the plans Tuesday morning.
Nickal said he was shocked when he heard Cordish had set its sights on Leominster.
"The area in question has great potential but I've thought … the potentials would be on (Route) 117," he said. "I think I always assumed that because Jungle Road was not that major a road that it would at best be maybe warehousing or some manufacturing, but I really didn't envision anything as significant as this coming in."
Nickel said Cordish explained that that the development would bring visitors to Leominster because no other proposed gambling facilities in the state are in Central Massachusetts.
Time is running short for Cordish to find a viable plan in the commonwealth. If the City Council approves the agreement between the developer and mayor, the citywide referendum would be held 60 to 90 days after. If voters approve the project, Cordish would have until Oct. 4 to submit its final application to the gaming commission.
Nickel said the city is working to determine the timeline of events and when the City Council can hold special meetings to hear residents' thoughts on the project.
In the meantime, he said, "I'm going to be listening to get a feel of what the people in the city feel."
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