Light in Sight: Casino Legislation Nears Completion

The expanded gambling bill is expected to pass the State Senate this week where it has been discussed for almost nine days. Every aspect of the bill has been carefully scrutinized by senators all seeking to have some input before voting on the matter.

That vote is expected Thursday or Friday.

If it passes the Senate, then it is on to the governor’s desk for his signature.

We continue to be baffled by the efforts being made by major media outlets and some organizations who stand against casino gambling as though casinos operating in Massachusetts will ruin the state and possibly bring it down.

Such assertions are absolutely inconsistent with what exactly is going to happen.

Purchasing casino licenses, building casinos and then the casinos open and doing business will create thousands of jobs, a new state revenue stream and will result in more money coming back to the cities and towns.

That is the bottom line for better or worse.

For those who cannot control themselves in a casino and who have addictions to gambling, there will be amazing resources made available and the bill provides generously for this.

A casino at Suffolk Downs is not the end of this area. Rather, it is the beginning of an incredible resurgence for thousands out of work who will build the place, for thousands more who will be hired for the new casino and its restaurants and shops and at the expanded race track operation which will be an inevitable off-shoot of the casino coming to exist.

We wish to emphasize, once again, that a casino at Suffolk Downs will not have the essence of casinos in Las Vegas. Boston is not Las Vegas in any way, shape or form.

A casino at Suffolk Downs will inevitably attract tourists and conventioneers and local people who now drive down to the casinos in Connecticut.

It will not be the end all of this state’s problems nor will it cement anything other than a new revenue source for the state, added jobs and investment – which the private sector pays for entirely.

Over and over again we hear the shouts from the naysayers that the world is going to end if Massachusetts puts up three casino gambling.

The coming of casinos is one more component in this state’s complex mix of business and commerce.

That’s right, it isn’t the end all or the be all.

Casinos are just one more thing.

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