Suffolk Downs Casino?

I'm heading up to Rockport this weekend. I suspect the small business owners up there who are going to lose business to casinos are not happy about the idea.

Moreover, the money that goes into a casino rather than into Gloucester's Festa or Rockport's 4th is going into one place. If that money went to the small business owners with their diseconomies of scale it would filter out into the economy much better -- thereby driving more of the non-rocket scientist jobs that we need to compliment the gee-wiz economy between Cambridge, Burlington and Waltham.

Damn shame!


Shepard said:
there are many more of another type of person: the vacationer, the elderly looking to be entertained, the college-aged poker whiz, the bachelor party...

Casinos are a forum wherein people are entertained. Some are addicted, but many more are looking for a a bit of entertainment and see however many dollars of losses as the cost of that entertainment. Casinos have much more entertainment value than lottery tickets or scratch tickets, or keno or dog racing. Will it create great jobs? No. But will it add to the total entertainment mix present in this city in a positive way? Yes. And what's the result? Fewer hotel vacancies, busier restaurants, larger tourist crowds, less braindrain to more "exciting" places like New York.
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Mayor backs casino team including Filene?s block developer
Running with the enemy
By Thomas Grillo
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - Updated 7h ago
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E-mail Print (0) Comments Text size Share Buzz up!Despite publicly flogging a New York real estate company for failing to redevelop the former Filene?s site in Downtown Crossing, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino is backing its bid to build a casino at Suffolk Downs.

Menino?s Public Enemy No. 1 - Vornado Realty Trust - is a 20 percent owner of the East Boston racetrack that yesterday unveiled plans for a $600 million resort casino.

Six miles away, Vornado has left a blighted hole in Downtown Crossing where plans stalled for a $650 million project that would include a 39-story tower and rehab of the original Filene?s Basement store.

Dorothy Joyce, Menino?s spokeswoman, said the two projects are completely different: One is a fully operational gambling facility, while the other could not secure a tenant for the planned office space.

?Every project is different and (the mayor?s) not too concerned about the casino deal,? she said.

Menino has supported the Suffolk Downs venture, saying it?s the right place for a casino. Asked why he?s supporting a development that would benefit Vornado, Menino hedged.

?I support the concept of casinos and bringing new revenues to the city,? Menino said. ?Those issues will be dealt with as we move forward.?

John Ribeiro, founder of Neighbors of Suffolk Downs, a coalition of groups opposed to a casino, said it?s ironic that the mayor is supporting Vornado in East Boston, but criticizing the company about Downtown Crossing.

?The whole thing is contradictory,? he said. ?On the one hand, we tell downtown businesses to operate one way, but if they bring a casino they can operate any way they want.?

In March, Menino threatened to use eminent domain powers to seize the gutted former Filene?s site in Downtown Crossing after Vornado?s billionaire chairman, Steven Roth, bragged to a Columbia University audience about using a deliberate blight strategy to extract government concessions on a similar project in Manhattan.

Calls to Vornado were not returned yesterday.

Richard Fields, chairman of Coastal Development LLC, is the largest shareholder of Suffolk Downs, owning 47 percent of the track, while Boston concessionaire Joseph O?Donnell owns a 33 percent chunk.

In a statement, William Mulrow, chairman of the board of Suffolk Downs, said ?Vornado is a minority investor in Suffolk Downs with no active role in the operation or management of the thoroughbred track.?

Panel?s ?racino? backers may have upper hand:


http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1266218
 
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/07/suffolk_downs_r.html
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^^^

Truly a beautiful development for an area packed full of the biggest degenerates on the planet.

I am actually conflicted about the casino development in this area. I think this area sucks so I'm curious if the Casino actually makes sense.

On the other hand Casino's IMHO are a bad foundation for economic growth and they are also known for depressing the areas around them. I would have left the casinos in CT. Foxwoods and Mohegan know that if Mass builds the casino's they will lose around 30% of revenue generated from Massachusett's finest.


On the Menino front this guy is the biggest hypocrite on the planet. He could careless about the city of Boston he is now in politics to make as much money as possible.

I'm tired of the excuses Dorothy Joyce continues to make up for the Menino Administration. Please Dorothy have some integrity when you speak not all the American citizens are clueless sheep.

?Every project is different and (the mayor?s) not too concerned about the casino deal,? she said.

So defined basically means-- that whatever project works for us and our friends we really don?t care what you think.

I can?t believe we sit around and listen to these assholes.
 
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I wonder if they would build it on the side of the track near the marsh, so that it would have easy access to the T? That could be one highlight, considering the Suffolk Downs stop hardly gets any traffic.

They are beautiful renders, you can't deny that. Maybe they look like they belong somewhere in Virginia, but regardless - they're pretty. And that will certainly help sell the project to the public.

I'm leaning pro-casino. Sure, there are a multitude of degenerate effects caused by gambling, but I feel that the economic benefit might outweigh the casino. Ever since reading Seabiscuit, I've hoped that Suffolk Downs might become a premier horse track again someday. And finally, I wouldn't mind being able to hop on the T and play a few card games some night.
 
This place lookin like CASINOATS

Old uncle LIKING suflock DOwnes place AND owning SHARE of this HORSE!!!. i hope NOT the NOUGHTY PARTs!!!

BUT. wHY nOt puting caSINO at FLIINES place?
 
The renderings look like knockoffs of the Jones Beach Bathhouses. I would prefer something that's a little more resort/destination/upscale looking. Maybe it's the lack of hotel towers . . .
 
Beton Brut said:
I suppose I've been called worse.
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Are you for or against these projects? Their are major players involved with this development and unless you have 150 Ned Flahtery's protesting, I personally believe that this casino's will be built.


I was at Revere Beach the other night the cops are very strict in that area and want everybody out on the right side of the beach out by 10 PM.

The area has cleaned up very nice. I'm not sure if adding a casino will be positive or negative for the area. What are your thoughts?
 
If it gets built I'll have some fun there, if it dosn't I'll live.
 
statler said:
^^ BB has made his position on this casino very clear.
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The first claim against the Neighborhood activists is that the developers are going to claim that "gambling has been going on in this area for nearly 3 decades so what is the difference on betting on horses or betting on slots, or card games.

It's very sad to say but your fighting a losing battle here. The only fight is how much will the developers and investors give to the neighborhood if they give anything.

The real concern will be the TRAFFIC around the area.
 
kennedy said:
I wonder if they would build it on the side of the track near the marsh, so that it would have easy access to the T?
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This is what I'm hoping for, too. Otherwise, I don't like it in this area too much. It's just not suitable, IMO.
 
I'd be surprised if they can build in the marsh. I imagine it's wetlands that is protected by 5 different agencies.
 
Beton Brut said:
The wetlands are indeed a protected state reservation.

statler, thanks for reposting my thoughts on this complicated issue.
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Right away tell them your against this project.

Make your point on the wetlands and then ask beside Vegas (because that was a desert) can you name one area in this country where a casino actually improved it's surroundings? It actually sucks money out of the local economy. It will provide poverty in your surroundings.

(maybe they buy you out because your educated)

Never mind the amount of degenerates in that area. Your looking at Nuclear destruction to that area if the casino gets built. LOL.
It would be one hell of a people's watching spot.
 
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