Wynn proceeds in Boston, Genting stalls in Miami

Although Steve Wynn‘s Everett project is besieged with lawsuits, a member of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is relatively sanguine about the resort’s prospects. “I don’t think necessarily the suit will delay it; I think it is the various permit-granting authorities that really hold the timing keys now,” said Commissioner James McHugh, referring to a recent legal hissy fit thrown by Boston Mayor Martin “McCheese” Walsh.  “The statute’s clear as to who gets the vote, and the host community gets the vote, and the surrounding community doesn’t, and the commission has concluded Boston is a surrounding community. I just don’t foresee any other action the commission can take,” rejoined McHugh. There’s still a gamut of approvals that Wynn Resorts needs to run, including from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act and the Boston Transportation Department.

“I don’t see any blocker to the casino. Everything that had to be done has now been done. We got the land on Monday. I think it’s full-speed ahead, and the issue in the lawsuit has been adjudicated several times already, and we’ll see,” said Wynn surrogate William Weld, predicting that the casino would open on schedule.

Meanwhile, the MGC is sitting on a $1 million mitigation-payment check that Wynn tried to lay on Mayor McCheese, only to have it flung back in his face.  Ironically, the money is meant to support programs that benefit Charlestown, whose proximity to Wynn’s project Walsh has made a cause celebre. Not only that, it’s the downpayment on $56 million in total compensation to Boston. That’s inclusive of the $31 million in traffic improvements Wynn has committed to making in the adjacent Sullivan Square area.

* In Miami, the Genting Group finds itself handcuffed in its development plans for the old Miami Herald site, for which it paid $236 million. It ambitiously trotted out plans for a huge casino megaresort. But as long as compact negotiations between Gov. Rick Scott (R) and the Seminole Tribe hang fire, the Legislature is stayed from approving resort casinos. And the Lege shows no great inclination to take that step anyway.

“Genting officials have spoken vaguely about scaled-back plans for a mixed-use development on the site, but have issued not so much as an artistic rendering, much less any kind of fleshed-out proposal,” reports the Miami Herald. “There are no plans at all about construction at the old Miami Herald,” replied Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. Genting’s priority seems to be Bimini, having been rejected in New York and with Resorts World Las Vegas on the back burner.

“In the early days, they were looking to be good neighbors. They promised a park-like baywalk and shops and restaurants that we would have easy access to enjoy. We have not heard hide nor hair from them since,” says neighborhood activist Sharon Dodge. Genting’s organizational paralysis — given the stalemate in Tallahassee — is understandable. But for neighbors it does not excuse what has been described as “a bombed-out eyesore.”

With Miami’s condo market on the rebound, Genting could either go that route or flip the land, potentially at a healthy profit. Indeed, Genting has put out feelers to Related Group CEO Jorge Perez. There was even a brief flirtation with David Beckham about building a soccer stadium.  But when it comes to Genting’s endgame, only its hairdresser knows for sure.