Gaming Commission Rejects Brockton's Bid For Final Casino License
BROCKTON (CBS) - By a 4-1 vote the Massachusetts Gaming Commission denied a license for a casino proposed for the Brockton Fairgrounds.
Commission Chairman Steve Crosby said they had to make a decision based on the long term best interest of the Commonwealth and felt that was accomplished.
"We evaluated and deliberated as thoroughly and as comprehensively as we possibly could," Crosby said. "These decisions are difficult and someone's always going to come out unhappy which is incredibly unfortunate."
There is a lot of disappointment from those who were hoping to see the city receive the Region C license.
Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter says he doesn't believe in his lifetime there will be another private investment of this size in the city, but they will move forward.
"We're working on many other things," Mayor Carpenter said. "We've never put our eggs in this basket; we've never made any plans assuming that a casino was coming."
George Carney, who is the owner of the fairgrounds and was a partner in the project, said "we did everything we could to win but we just couldn't get the ball over the goal line."
Crosby and Commissioners Gayle Cameron, Bruce Stebbins and Enrique Zuniga voted to not award the license, while Commissioner Lloyd Macdonald voted in favor of awarding the license.
Earlier this month, work officially began on the state's first tribal casino. The First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton will be run by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe. Part of the casino is expected to open next summer.
Work is also underway on the $950 million MGM Springfield. The casino is scheduled to open in the fall of 2017.
The Wynn Boston Harbor in Everett was supposed to open by the end of 2018, but its construction is now on hold for a pending lawsuit.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports