In November 2011, legislation was passed allowing the
building of casinos in Massachusetts.
There are three licenses available in three regions of the state.
Three major players, Mohegan Sun, WynnResorts, and MGM Resorts International remain in the running for these opportunities. The three operators submitted their
applications by year-end and quite frankly, we’re glad we aren’t responsible
for reviewing them. MGM’s application
contained more than 7,000 pages while Mohegan’s consisted of 16,034 pages, and
Wynn’s more than 18,000 pages!
There has been much controversy over casinos coming to
Massachusetts. And, throughout the year, the casinos have been working hard to influence
public opinion. They have been conducting meetings to share information with community
members about the positive impacts that the casinos can have on the areas in
which they are located.
One such benefit is improvements to already-congested roads
and highways, which would be redesigned to accommodate the additional traffic. Additionally, casinos offer many other entertainment
opportunities such as concerts, shows, and other nightlife. Proponents also
argue that many jobs will be created and local economies strengthened as new opportunities
arise for businesses to support the casino and the community.
[Mass Gaming] [WSJ]
