CasinoWatch

Patrick pitches casino gambling at tourism conference
Hopes to build state's tourism without traditional venues

Our Chamber demurs
The tourism officials cheered Patrick’s attendance, despite being skeptical of the casino plan not only because of their fears about it undercutting visits to traditional sites such as Cape Cod or the Berkshire Mountains, but also because the casinos would compete for an already sparse population of seasonal workers. Cape Cod businesses, for example, add 24,000 jobs during the peak summer season, including up to 7,000 foreign workers. Visas for most those employees have been halted by Congress this year. "Our biggest concern is it would exacerbate our worker shortage," said Wendy Northcross, chief executive officer of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.Gov. Deval Patrick made his pitch for expanded gambling before a skeptical audience today, telling representatives of the state’s tourism industry his plan to build three resort casinos would boost customer traffic across Massachusetts, not damage business at traditional venues as they fear.

The governor also prodded his fellow Democrats who control the Legislature, saying delays in acting on the bill will not forestall the inevitable arrival of casino gambling on Indian tribal lands but may prevent the state from implementing the controls and deriving the tax benefits outlined in his legislation.

"One of the points we’ve been making to our partners in the Legislature is we can either help set the rules or we can have this done to us, but one way or another, it’s coming," Patrick told the annual Massachusetts Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism...  Herald. 
__________

What the Wampanoags stand to gain

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is pursuing federal approvals needed to open a massive casino complex in Middleboro. As part of the process, the tribe wants to negotiate a compact with Gov. Deval Patrick to help cement the deal.The Wampanoags must receive approval from the Department of the Interior to put the proposed Middleboro casino site in a federal trust. That process could take well over a year.

Meanwhile, the tribe is seeking to negotiate a compact with Gov. Deval Patrick to allow unlimited casino gaming - slot machines and table games - at the proposed Middleboro site. In exchange for his approval, Patrick would seek to secure labor and environmental concessions, state tax proceeds and guarantees from the tribe that it will pay for infrastructure upgrades, public safety improvements and other costs... Herald. 
_________

Lawmakers undecided on casinos
Survey sees no consensus in the House

A large number of House lawmakers who responded to an informal survey last week remain undecided on whether to support Governor Deval Patrick's proposal to license resort casinos in Massachusetts, setting up a potential battle royale over the fence-sitters.

Of 107 state representatives who provided their views of Patrick's casino legislation to the Globe, 40 said they are undecided; 40 others said they are opposed or leaning against the proposal; and 27 said they favor or lean in favor. Seven legislators who were contacted refused to discuss their opinions; the remaining 41 members of the 155-member chamber did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In coming weeks, as Patrick presses his case that licensing casinos will generate jobs and fresh revenue streams, much of his focus will be on attempting to persuade undecided lawmakers, some of whom said they are torn over the issue...  Globe. 

__________ 

Tribe puts pressure on pols

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe says it is ready to formally negotiate a compact with Gov. Deval Patrick to open a casino in Middleboro, a move meant to intensify pressure on lawmakers to legalize casinos or face a tribal facility with no state controls.

The commencement of formal negotiations would advance the tribal proposal just as top legislators are preparing to hold hearings on Patrick’s three-casino bill. The governor has argued the state must create a legal framework to open casinos, otherwise the tribe will use a federal process to open one on its own.  “We can either help set the rules, or we can have this done to us,” Patrick told a gathering of tourism industry leaders yesterday...  Herald.