PALMER MEETING ON OCTOBER 27, 2009

Mohegan Sun to hold meetings on Palmer casino plans
By Thomas Grillo
Thursday, October 22, 2009 - Added 9h ago

Owners of Mohegan Sun will host a series of community meetings in Western Massachusetts about its plans for a casino resort in Palmer.

“We will answer questions about the project, talk about employment opportunities and vet people’s complaints,” said Paul Brody, Mohegan’s vice president of development.

The first of these meetings is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. Other sessions will be scheduled at a later date for suburban Springfield.

Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun casino hopes to build a $1 billion resort gambling facility near the Massachusetts Turnpike in Palmer. Mohegan’s Tribal Gaming Authority signed a long-term lease for the 152-acre parcel last year. Mohegan opened an office in downtown Palmer earlier this year to provide information about its proposed casino.

Brody said he does not expect organized opponents of casino gambling to pack the hearings.

“We do get visits from some anti-casino people in our Palmer office who say they don’t want more traffic,” he said. “But they usually say if you do build one, here are my suggestions. We rarely get someone who says they oppose casinos anywhere.”

Beacon Hill lawmakers have scheduled a hearing for next Thursday, Oct. 29 for 17 House and Senate bills that would expand gambling in the Bay State.

This week, two out-of-state developers pitched Crossroads Resort on 200 acres in Milford to local officials. Also, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has downsized its plan for a casino in Middleboro due to tight credit markets.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE; Where is the MTGA (Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority) going to get the funds for this project? Didn't they just borrow another $200 Million? Where are they going to get $1 Billion? Are you kidding me? Is this the best the MTGa can come up with? They had better fix what is wrong at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, before they take on another project. What do you think?