By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-999733.mp3
Brimfield, MA – A small town in western Massachusetts known for its summertime antique shows could be home to a resort casino. Brimfield is the latest community to be selected for the casino sweepstakes in Massachusetts.. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill has details.
The chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International, Jim Murren announced his company wants to build a resort casino on 150 acres of wooded land in a remote corner of Brimfield.
Murren would not put a price on the development, except to say it would be in excess of 600 million dollars. He said nothing had been designed yet. Murren said the resort casino would have little or no impact on the community of Brimfield because it would be isolated, surrounded by woods, and accessible to the public only by a new ramp that would be built off the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Murren said while townspeople would not know a resort casino is nearby, unless they actively sought it out, he said they would notice the economic impact. He said there would thousands of jobs with good pay and benefits and more tax dollars to build schools and other public improvements.
Before the casino can be built the developers must negotiate an agreement with town officials and it must be approved by town voters in a referendum.
MGM resorts have opened an office in the town where people can stop in to get information and share their thoughts. Brimfield's police chief, Charles Kuss, says the casino developers have already been talking with town officaisl about the " what ifs "
Tony Bys, who has lived in Brimfield for more than 30 years, says he's undecided about the casino.
The state's casino law allocates three casino licenses , one for each of three geographic regions the greater Boston area, southeastern Massachusetts and western Massachusetts. MGM Resorts CEO says he knows the competition for the sole license in western Massachusetts will be robust.
MGM Resorts was preceeded into the casino competition in western Massachusetts by Mohegan Sun, which has been pursuing a project in the town of Palmer for years. In addition, Hard Rock International has proposed a casino on a golf course in Holyoke, and Ameristar wants to build a resort casino on a former industrial site in Springfield.