Shuttles for Encore Boston Harbor are stirring up some local ire, due to the fumes they generate while idling at the Wellington MBTA Station curb. This has generated the threat of a lawsuit from the Conservation Law Foundation. It’s not just Wellington that’s at issue but also 
shuttle stops at the airport, other MBTA stations and anywhere else that a Wynn shuttle happens to lay over, usually 15 times a day. “The casino is a brand-new neighbor, and it’s already wearing out its welcome,” said CLF Massachusetts Director Alyssa Rayman-Read, who accuses Encore of violating both federal and Bay State clean-air laws. Wynn Resorts, for its part, rather meekly agreed to comply with state law vis-a-vis idling buses.
According to the Boston Globe, as buses idle they spew fumes that are “a soot that includes harmful pollutants such as benzene, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. When inhaled, the exhaust can cause lung damage and aggravate conditions such as asthma and bronchitis, especially among children. Exposure has also been linked to increased incidence of heart disease, cancer, and premature death.” The casino employs 16 shuttle buses, which are run by DPV Transportation. Said Wynn spokesman Michael Weaver, “Earlier today [Monday], we spoke to our provider about eliminating idling … We believe our commitment to a clean environment is clear.” If Encore isn’t in compliance within two months, the CLF will sue for $100,000 a day in damages. Ironically, Boston University Medical School is one of the sites cited for air pollution.
The Boston metro area already has an asthma rate well above the national average, so one can see why this would be a sore point with local environmentalists. Wynn Resorts is to be commended for quickly acting to eradicate what could be a source of considerable local acrimony.
* Congratulations to Penn National Gaming. It has earned the 2018 Training for Intervention ProcedureS award of excellence, bestowed on Penn by Health Communications Inc. The honor goes to companies “that 
repeatedly demonstrate a commitment to preventing the misuse of alcohol in the communities in which they operate and promote responsible consumption by properly training employees in the TIPS program.” Penn was one of 10 companies thusly cited. According to Health Communications CEO Adam Chafetz, “Penn National has continually demonstrated a commitment to their guests and the communities where they reside.” According to Penn, its program aims “to build skills, instill confidence, and empower casino employees to intervene in alcohol-related situations and ensure that alcohol is sold responsibly and legally.” Kudos for a job well done.
* Sheldon Adelson is claiming he does not own the Las Vegas Review-Journal, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Have you ever seen Sheldon drink a glass of water when the R-J is speaking, particularly on behalf of three-time endorsee Marco Rubio?
Jottings: LT Game says that it has a robotic table game dealer (who looks like something out of I, Robot) ready for deployment on the casino floor. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas may be quick to adopt them. Think of all the money you’ll save in tips … If you’re earning 500 points a day at 
the Four Queens it won’t earn you a free room night anymore. The new requirement is 900 points day … Marriage Can Be Murder will be homeless, along with several other shows, when The D closes its small showroom on Jan. 5. The space will be repurposed as a sports book, opening in time for March Madness on March 17. Look for Derek Stevens to place an outrageous bet … Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) went to the Illinois statehouse to try and persuade lawmakers to reduce the usurious 72% tax rate for a Windy City casino. She came back empty-handed. No surprise there. In other Land of Lincoln news, Rivers Casino Des Plaines will take advantage of new legislation that allows it to move “ashore.” It presently sits in a 
shallow pit of H2O … New Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small is trying to shake down the Boardwalk’s casinos for a share of sports-betting action, calling the present tax arrangement “unacceptable” … Osaka is so desperate for a casino resort that it may allow a soft opening in 2024, to cash in on the Olympic Games … Station Casinos‘ misfortunes at the Palms seems to be having a negative impact on RRR stock, which is only up 6% year to date … Dec. 5 is Repeal Day (above) at The Mob Museum‘s speakeasy The Underground. Flappers should show up at 7 p.m. ready to foxtrot the blues away and compete for free staycations at Downtown casinos. If it weren’t for Prohibition would The Mob have ever become so pervasive in American society?
* Martin Scorcese‘s 210-minute Oscar gambit—and response to The Godfather Part II—is out. The Irishman seems almost certain to garner nominations for shameless hambone Al Pacino (as Jimmy Hoffa) and especially for Robert DeNiro, putting aside junk like Last Vegas, to try and redeem himself as a repentant Mafia “button man.” Or will the picture’s underpinnings (it was financed by lightning rod Netflix) trip it up with anti-streaming Academy members? Gentlemen and ladies, place your bets.
