MMCT Venture’s choice of East Windsor as the site of a proposed $200 million to $300 million casino sparked a range of reactions throughout the state, with town officials, state legislators, and tribal leaders weighing in on the long-awaited decision.
East Windsor First Selectman Robert Maynard said the casino, meant to compete with a $950 million gaming facility being developed by MGM Grand in Springfield, would be a boon to the town, area, and state.
“I think this really will open up a lot of possibilities for the entire north-central area,” Maynard said, citing commuter rail service between Hartford and Springfield .
Monday’s decision by MMCT Venture, a partnership between the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, came just two days after East Windsor’s Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a development agreement with the group that guarantees the town more than $8 million annually in tax revenue.
Responding to local critics, Maynard cited the casino’s proposed location, the site of the long-vacant Showcase Cinemas, which is zoned for entertainment.
“It’s right in our commercial corridor — it’s just what we want to see there,” he said.
Maynard said additional tax revenue and job creation spurred by the casino will improve the town, adding that the school system and the Police Department have taken steps to mitigate potential negative impacts.
James Richards, chairman of the town’s chamber of commerce, agreed.
“We think it’s a great opportunity for the town to use this as a cornerstone for” development in the Warehouse Point area, Richards said.
He added that the location should be beneficial even to nearby Windsor Locks — which also had been considered to host the casino.
“Both towns should benefit in the long run,” Richards said.
Legislative reaction mixed
The General Assembly still needs to pass a bill allowing a casino to be built off tribal land for the development to move forward, and reactions from state legislators have been mixed.
Sen. Timothy Larson, D-East Hartford, whose district includes East Windsor, called the announcement “great news for the town of East Windsor and the state as a whole.”
“It’s not that East Hartford or Hartford didn’t win the casino — Connecticut won the casino, which will generate revenue, create and retain jobs, and add to our tourism portfolio,” Larson said.
He commended the tribes for their collaboration during the past 15 months and said he is optimistic about the project.
“I’ve spoken with a lot of people who have had differing opinions on the third casino, and I believe the majority now see this as a real opportunity, and it seems promising,” Larson said.
The Senate co-chairman of the Public Safety and Security Committee, which oversees gaming, is not as optimistic.
“I’m not going to vote for it,” Sen. Tony Guglielmo, R-Stafford, said. “I don’t think we need a third casino. I just don’t think that’s the way you rebuild Connecticut’s economy, more gaming.”
Further adding to his skepticism is a lawsuit that is working its way through the courts to determine the legality of limiting the process to two companies.
“How can that possibly be constitutional?” Guglielmo said.
He added, however, that he believes he is in the minority and expects the issue to make it out of committee following a public hearing, which he expects to be held next week.
Windsor Locks official disappointed
Upon hearing Monday’s news, Windsor Locks First Selectman Christopher Kervick, a Democrat, said he was disappointed because of the reason the tribes picked East Windsor.
Tribal officials were concerned that a number of Windsor Locks officials did not support the proposal “and that it appeared to be along partisan lines,” Kervick said, “and they particularly mentioned members of the Finance Board. I would have preferred that our residents had a chance to be heard, but since the partisanship scared them off, now they won’t get that opportunity.”
But late Monday Kervick decided that maybe the people should have a vote, regardless of East Windsor’s win. That would be smart, townspeople were telling him, he said.
Kervick decided not to remove a casino item from tonight’s Board of Selectmen meeting. The board could schedule a referendum.
“There is a growing sentiment that Windsor Locks still proceed with a referendum, and I think it makes sense,” Kervick said, “in case East Windsor falls through or if the legislature requires a referendum. It would give us a leg up.”
East Windsor choice is final
MGM Grand questioned Monday whether Windsor Locks is being kept as a second option. But MMCT spokesman Andrew Doba said today that East Windsor is the group’s final decision.
Windsor Locks Finance Board Chairman Paul Harrington, a Republican, said today that Kervick seemed to be looking for a way “to place the blame on someone else.” He said he’d like Kervick to explain “what exactly the Finance Board did to scare the tribes away from Windsor Locks.”
Harrington also said, “I have never been against a referendum in town, as the people’s voice should be the only voice.”
He added that the casino is far from a sure thing. Even if the legislature gives its approval, the matter “will be tied up in the courts for many, many years as not only will MGM challenge the process but many other tribes who want to open a commercial casino in Connecticut,” he said
Finance Board member Michael Ciarcia said he wasn’t involved in the negotiations and didn’t know the details of any deal between MMCT and Windsor Locks. He said he would have supported a referendum to get a feel for “the pulse of the town.”
Kervick said that the casino revenue would have been enough “to rebuild and repair our infrastructure, reduce our debt, and provide a tax credit for residents that would have put us in a pretty good position for the next 20 to 30 years,”
He added, “Obviously I’m disappointed that we aren’t going to have that opportunity, but we’re a strong town, and we’ll figure it out some other way.”
Meanwhile, Kervick said, “We wish our friends in East Windsor well, and we’re hopeful that the agreement to hire local residents will be honored and applied equally to citizens of both towns.”
Richard Velky, chief of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, said Monday the decision by MMCT is not good news for state taxpayers.
An “open and competitive process,” including the Schaghticoke tribe, would bring “far more benefit for the state in terms of jobs and tax revenues,” Velky said.
