Casino Stalker | Opinion

Editorial: Don't wait for Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's casino

Monday, March 17, 2014

Artist's rendering of proposed First Light Resort and Casino. Image from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

Newspaper urges mayor of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to welcome non-Indian commercial casino to the city, citing doubts facing the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe:

The establishment of casino gambling in the Bay State has (no surprise to some) left Southeastern Massachusetts to watch and wait as the Wampanoag tribe makes its way through state and federal requirements of varying difficulty, and with varying chances of success.
The time for New Bedford to act is dwindling, and the current mayor owes it to the present and future of the city to sincerely and thoroughly explore whether a half-billion-dollar resort casino can or should be sited here.
His discussions with KG Urban, which proposes a casino at the defunct — and dirty — NStar plant on the river have not been clearly characterized for public consumption, so we cannot say whether the substance of discussion is conducive to good-faith cooperation. His visit to Bethlehem, Pa., to learn about the Sands Casino Resort opened there in 2010 (developed by KG) is the kind of due diligence necessary if he is to make the best decision for the city, but still, his public expressions of opinion on the merit of a Whaling City casino might not be considered "enthusiastic."
We would urge him to do much more. We believe that the state gaming law grants communities extraordinary power in negotiating host community agreements with casino developers. Mayor Jon Mitchell could ensure that the current robust pockets and promising future sectors of economic development can be protected, and even enhanced, by careful, comprehensive planning that includes flexibility to revisit the agreement if things develop differently than expected.

Get the Story:
Our View: Casino gambling deserves consideration in New Bedford (The New Bedford Standard-Times 3/16)

Blast from the Past:
Editor's File: Whaling City might well benefit from gaming (The New Bedford Standard-Times 3/16)