Massachusetts considers a new casino
The MGC is looking into a potential bidding process to launch a casino in southeastern Massachusetts.
US.- The casino industry is already popular in Massachusetts but the southeastern region of the state still hasn’t achieved its own gaming venue. That’s why the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is set to discuss a potential bidding process to launch a new gambling operation in the area.
In 2011, former Governor Deval Patrick signed the expanded gaming bill into law and allowed three casinos and a slots parlor to open in the state. Plainridge Park Casino took the slots parlor spot in June 2015, MGM Springfield casino opened last year and Encore Boston Harbor casino is soon to open.
However, there’s still one spot for a casino in the state as a proposal by Mass Gaming & Entertainment to open a venue in 2016 was rejected and the regulator is seeking to launch a bidding process for it. In Summer 2018, the company sent letters to the MGC, urging it to reconsider its previous denial, to which they answered they were required, by law, to launch an entire competitive application process and couldn’t just “take another look” at its proposal.
“The Commission has received requests in the past to reconsider applications after the Commission’s denial of a license,” general counsel Catherine Blue wrote in a response to the company and added: “In all cases, staff advised the Commission that based upon section 17(g) (of the state’s gaming law), the Commission may not have the ability to reconsider the denial of a gaming license, and if it did have the authority, it did not have a process to reconsider the denial of a gaming licence.”
As it waits to take part in a potential bidding process, MG&E says its U$700 million project is “ready to start” and that they already have the US$85 million to pay for the licensing fee. The casino’s developers assure the state would generate over US$70 million in annual state tax revenue and up to US$13 million for Brockton.
Nonetheless, in her response to MG&E’s letters, general counsel Blue said commissioners found its application “failed to demonstrate that the proposed project would maximize revenue to the Commonwealth or that it would offer the highest and best value to create a secure and robust gaming market in Region C (southeastern Massachusetts).”
