Editorial: Something's gotta give in New England casino race

Watching casino proposals rise and fall in this region can be a dizzying experience. The New Bedford plan looked close to a lock, until the developer announced last month that it lacked the financing to move ahead.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts, officials have blessed the construction of two other resort casinos, in Springfield and Everett, though both of those projects have hit snags.

Meanwhile, the slots parlor in Plainville, Mass., is up and running, not far from Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino, in Lincoln. Twin River is fighting back with plans to add table games and erect a new hotel. It has also acquired the Newport Grand slots parlor, and is behind the plan to move it to Tiverton, the better to grab Bay State gamblers.

Not about to lose customers, Connecticut’s two tribal casinos are looking to find a host community closer to Springfield, and build a third casino there.

Something has to give. It seems doubtful that the region’s gambling dollar will stretch to cover all of these venues. And as other states have discovered, casinos that open may also close, stranding workers and investors, and depriving communities of promised tax dollars. Last year, four casinos in New Jersey shut down.