Suffolk Downs Casino?

kennedy said:
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.
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It reminds me quite a bit of Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort:

Disney%27sSaratogaSprings.jpg
 
I appreciate the advice, folks, but this isn't my first rodeo.

I grew up in the aftermath of the eminent domain annihilation of Wood Island Park and the Neptune Road neighborhood. I was bused away from a school I could see from my front porch. Since my teenage years, I've shouted myself hoarse at scores of community meetings sponsored by the MWRA, CA/T, Massport, the FAA, and the MBTA. I've grown up a cynic, with a healthy mistrust in my elected officials. I believe that we all die alone and afraid.

Last fall, I spent two year's take-home to renovate Chez Brut, so I don't plan on getting bought out by investors who couldn't find my street on a map. And I don't want a dime of mitigation money -- my silence and consent are not on sale to the highest bidder.

Last Wednesday night, I listened to a bunch of pols talk about the casino bill as a "jobs bill." Of course there will be jobs if a casino is built at Suffolk Downs, or at Wonderland, or at any other site. But those jobs have a cost associated with them, and there's enough evidence out there that tells me that the cost will undermine the value that the State will receive in return. Further, I believe that the cost will be set against the quality of life in my community. Considering history, that is simply unacceptable.

At last week's meeting, I asked Chip Tuttle (Suffolk Downs COO) if he'd be happy if his daughter grew up to be a cocktail waitress. I think he felt my question was "combative" and walked away from me. The Mayor has grandkids -- maybe I should ask him?
 
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That rendering also made me think of Saratoga. It has the wow-factor of a Christmas Tree Shoppe.

Where's the neon?

It would be downright sinister if this were only marginally T accessible.
 
Shepard said:
That rendering also made me think of Saratoga. It has the wow-factor of a Christmas Tree Shoppe.

Where's the neon?

It would be downright sinister if this were only marginally T accessible.
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Basically what I was thinking. How about something swish, like the Casino de Montreal? They could do with the ideal of putting it far out on some island as well.
 
Casino de Montreal is nice. Swish? I don't know.

The Art Deco rendering shows a cleaned up version of what is there now. It isn't awful, contrary to what some might think. It is a bit like Fenway Park, pre-John Henry. In a remodel I guess I'd prefer an elaboration on the Deco theme rather than the Colonel's plantation.

The biggest current problem is that the purses are too low to attract top talent. If this becomes a casino I hope that there is some provision in the enabling law that requires a certain percentage of the revenue go to addressing that problem.
 
kennedy said:
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.
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Do you have an economics degree? just asking...
 
Shepard said:
It would be downright sinister if this were only marginally T accessible.
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At worst it will be as accessible to the subway as Fenway Park. The walk to the track's front door from the T is currently about as far as Fenway from Kenmore station.
 
singbat said:
Do you have an economics degree? just asking...
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No. Do you?

My use of words such as "leaning," "feel," and "might" were meant to dispel any notion that I was declaring my opinion as the truth. Apparently that didn't work.
 
Beton Brut said:
The high rollers aren't gonna show up on the Blue Line. That's for the folks who wanna take a chance with their unemployment check.
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I imagine casinos bank much more on middle-income bourgeousie splashouts than high rollers, and also don't forget all the low-paid employees need to get to the place too
 
You're right Pierce. Do you think that the majority of those groups will arrive by private automobile, motorcoach, or via the T.
 
Holy cow, I didn't realize how dense the T service is up there (from Orient Heights to Beachmont). This should be a brand new full-service neighborhood.

Yes, I know, pipe dream. But talk about lost TOD opportunities.
 
^^ The crux of my "best & highest use" argument.

But a confluence of circumstance, inept public policy, political corruption, and a turn in population demographics (brought about by the undermining of quality of life caused by first three points) has relegated East Boston and its satellite communities to the status of New England's Litterbox.
 
belmont square said:
At worst it will be as accessible to the subway as Fenway Park. The walk to the track's front door from the T is currently about as far as Fenway from Kenmore station.
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They already run shuttle busses to and from the T stop.
 
Beton Brut said:
^^ The crux of my "best & highest use" argument.

But a confluence of circumstance, inept public policy, political corruption, and a turn in population demographics (brought about by the undermining of quality of life caused by first three points) has relegated East Boston and its satellite communities to the status of New England's Litterbox.
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Wouldn't the fact that giant-ass airplanes are constantly flying over at low altitudes also contribute to some of that?

Or would that fall under "circumstance"?
 
Beton Brut said:
You're right Pierce. Do you think that the majority of those groups will arrive by private automobile, motorcoach, or via the T.
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Point taken, but maximized public transit connection will only help this project. They will still be competing with Connecticut for the car/luxobus crowd, but could monopolize the demographic of households with no car, or less than one car per driver, or people who want to drink and gamble and not pay for a hotel or a long cabride.

To your question, in terms of the employees: given the vast amount of service jobs in a casino and the economic landscape of the north/east Boston area (not to mention the tolls associated with returning from Suffolk Downs to "mainland Boston" by car) I would think the casino would have a markedly high rate of employees who rely on the T.
 
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