The state of Massachusetts – its residents and its lawmakers – is pretty adamant about its objective of being thorough when it comes to handing out casino licenses.
With the Dec. 31 deadline for final applications fast approaching, it’s become evident that the state is not budging on all of its stringent requirements and that casino operators will have to work doubly hard to not only convince residents that a casino’s advantages will far outweigh its disadvantages, but also convince lawmakers that they are deserving of receiving one of those sought-after licenses.
It’s been a rough go for a lot of operators who thought that acquiring a casino license in the state would be easier than it has been, but that’s the present climate in Massachusetts, especially given the stance that residents and legislators have taken in inspecting every single nook and cranny of these businesses and how deserving they are of these licenses.
It’s no accident that a number of operators have already experienced varying forms of setbacks in the state. Suffolk Downs and Mohegan Sun both saw their pitches get rejected by residents of East Boston and Palmer. Suffolk still has Revere to fall back to, but its one-time partner Caesars Entertainment won’t be along for the ride anymore after the former cut ties with the latter over what it deemed as questionable business practices that were brought to light by the rigorous background investigations by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
With one casino operator after another falling out of the casino license races in Massachusetts, there’s that possibility that no operator could actually get a license in eastern and western Massachusetts. Just don’t expect the commission to feel sorry about it, or cut corners in its tedious screening process just to give a license out.
‘‘While I am a very strong supporter of expanded gaming, I am also a very strong supporter of saying that if people do not want it in their community, then they are not going to get it in their community,’’ House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop told reporters last week.
Suffolk Downs, Mohegan Sun, and to a lesser extent, Caesars are only a few operators that have experienced setbacks in Massachusetts in one form or another. Hard Rock’s proposal was also rejected by West Springfield voters back in September.
But there have been some sliver of good news for some operators despite feeling like it’s passing through the eye of a needle just to get these licenses. Wynn Resorts, the subject of serious inquiries by the gambling commission a few weeks ago, was given approval from residents of Everett, Massachusetts. MGM Resorts also saw its proposal backed by residents of Springfield. And Suffolk Downs, despite getting shut out in East Boston, has the option of building its casino entirely inside the borders of Revere after that town approved the casino’s proposal recently.
But make no mistake: acquiring a casino license in Massachusetts has turned out to be a lot harder than anybody ever thought it would be. From the stringent background checks of the gambling commission to the conviction of residents to reject a proposal they don’t like, it’s given cause for a lot of operators to gain a lot of grey hairs in the past months.
Former state attorney general Scott Harshbarger was one of the most vocal voices in opposing the legalizing casinos in the state and looking at how the state has been acting, Harshbarger can’t help but see why these operators will have a hard time getting any one of those licenses.
‘‘There is some adult supervision occurring at the gaming commission,” Harshbarger said.
“If you want to play in Massachusetts, you have to play by the rules.’’
