Congratulations, Suffolk Downs. You’ve been approved as a casino bidder — but the voters might nix the whole shebang. Although Suffolk Downs is bereft of an operator, having given Caesars Entertainment the heave-ho. (The latter remains in deep water, financially, making noises about bankruptcy.) The Massachusetts Gaming Commission says that Suffolk can keep looking for a replacement, even as a Nov. 5 referendum looms. The MGC chided Suffolk Downs for its naivete regarding Caesars and it’s a point well taken. How far does one’s head have to be in the sand to have missed the Terrance Watanabe scandal, for instance? It cost Caesars a $225K fine in Atlantic City, after all.
Leaving that aside for a moment, whoever teams with Suffolk — be it Hard Rock International or Rush Street Gaming — will have to abide by the compact that Suffolk crafted in tandem with Caesars. They’ll have to render like Caesar, you might say.
Unfortunately for Suffolk, all this moving and shifting may be moot: A WBUR-FM poll, shows voters leaning against an East Boston casino. The 12% who remain undecided would have to break two-for-one in Suffolk Downs’ favor for the measure to pass. (If it fails, Gary Loveman can console himself with the thought that he was spared that humiliation.) A four-point deficit amid a ‘volatile’ electorate isn’t impossible to overcome but the clock is running fast.
This new development puts more wind in the sails of Foxwoods Massachusetts, which continues to garner political support. So does, 
to the west, Mohegan Sun (pictured). Three additional town councilors have emerged in support for the project, while the Palmer council president has gone from “aye” to “nay.” Since the Mohegan Sun host-community agreement provides the highest per-capita economic benefit of any in Massachusetts, it’s hard to see it failing at the ballot box.
Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, having seen Caesars fall by the wayside, has decided that this is the perfect moment to extort $100 million from Wynn Resorts. Either give me the money to build an underpass or else, runs his message. McGlynn doesn’t have all his ponies on one string. Previously he had called “for Wynn Resorts to provide Las Vegas entertainers to perform at Medford Square’s Chevalier Theatre.” But Wynn and his confreres must execute mitigation agreements with all surrounding communities, so loonies like McGlynn must be appeased.
Inside Sheldon Adelson. The latest iGaming Informer looks at Mr. Venetian’s dubiously worded poll on Internet gambling and its all-too-predictable outcome, among other topics.
Sooner than most. Casinos in Oklahoma are growing revenue at a faster pace than the national average: 6.4% vs. 3.4%. The Sooner State is also the VLT capital of America, having 40,432 of them. However, Oklahoma’s lottery and horse racing industries are suffering. Revenue from the ponies was down 9%. Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Executive Director Sheila Morago tried to pooh-pooh the phenomenon, saying that people were gambling instead of going out to dinner, not instead of playing the ponies. Sorry, Ms. Morago, but I don’t think that line’s going to pass the laugh test.
