Facing little opposition to his plan to put a casino in Everett, Massachusetts, a waterfront city located just beyond Boston's borders, Steve Wynn is likely to be a happy man after the outcome of a referendum on the matter to be voted on by residents here today.Wynn plans $1.2 billion resortEarlier this spring, the Wynn Company released renderings of their proposed casino/resort. The budget for the Everett property is $1.2 billion, and the design recalls that of the Wynn property in Macau. A similar plan would be employed in Pennsylvania, should regulators there approve the project for the Philadelphia area, which has seen a gambling boom in recent years.
The site in Everett was once home to a Monsanto Chemical facility, and as a result the parcel remains polluted, something that Wynn would fix should the project win the approval of local voters. Wynn has promised to construct a 600-room hotel that would feature casino gaming floors, spas, restaurants, bars and other entertainment, as well as thousands of square feet devoted to convention space.
Remarking on Everett's less-than-stellar reputation, its oldest alderman, Salvatore F. Sachetta said, "This will put Everett on the map. People always say to me, ‘Oh, you live in Everett,’ meaning it’s a crappy city. But it won’t be a crappy city if we get this."Biggest issue is car-relatedWhile there is very little opposition to the project in any corner of Everett - in fact, the Boston Herald is reporting that not one of Everett's aldermen is opposed to the idea - those who are against the project have centered their skepticism around two primary issues: traffic and crime.
As part of its deal with the city, Wynn has said that such issues will be addressed, with the company working with the city to make necessary infrastructure upgrades to handle the stream of gamblers that will undoubtedly flock to the property.
Dispelling the notion that cities and towns that feature casinos are more crime-ridden, Alderman Sachetta remarked, "I’ve attended casinos all over the country and there’s no more crime in those cities than any other place in the country."
Sachetta also spoke to the traffic issue, commenting, "The biggest concern I hear among people opposed to it is the possibility that crime will increase or, No. 1, that traffic will increase. The city is gridlocked now even without it."
Check back with us as we continue to follow this project and report back with results from the weekend voting in Everett.
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