Massachusetts Mayors Blast Anti-Casino Study as Bogus

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria was among a small grouping of Massachusetts mayors and city leaders whom rejected the claims in an anti-casino study that is recent.
Some Massachusetts mayors and city executives in the state have blasted a casino research that claims resorts that are new hurt lottery profits for metropolitan areas and towns here. Anti-casino advocates are utilizing the research to recommend that the economic benefits of adding casinos in Massachusetts have been overstated, and that voters should repeal the casino legislation into the upcoming November ballot referendum.
According to the research, which was released by Repeal the Casino contract, local lottery profits could visit just as much as 22 per cent if the new casinos are permitted to be built. Overall, the scholarly study estimates that as much as $103 million could be lost as consumers who used to try out the lottery turn instead to casinos.
Mayors, Town Officials Reject Learn
But a group led by Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Plainville Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes (all of whom lead towns and towns where casinos and slot parlors happen authorized) is rejecting these numbers, saying that other analysts came up with entirely different results. Based on the leaders that are municipal any lottery losses could be short-term, and would become more than offset by the new revenues earned by the casinos.
‘These claims are totally inconsistent utilizing the other studies about effects on regional aid along with the experience of other states regarding lottery revenues,’ the officials said in a statement released by the Committee to Protect Massachusetts Jobs.
To back up these statements, the group cited studies commissioned by the state of Massachusetts, because well as others from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Center for Policy research at UMass Dartmouth. Not just did those studies suggest that the large losses predicted by Repeal the Casino Deal were unrealistic, however they even offered some evidence that within the long haul, lotteries weren’t harmed at simply by the introduction of casinos.
‘ In fact, lottery revenues in Connecticut have doubled because the inception of casinos, and lotteries in Maine, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania have all continued to grow, even as those states introduced gaming,’ the statement read.
Repeal the Deal Fires Back
However the anti-casino group behind the scholarly study pointed out that they utilized the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s own revenue estimates to come calmly to their findings. Since nearly all state lottery income goes into local federal government coffers, they said, any drop would straight impact city and town budgets. That, they said, meant that the critiques of their study ‘strain credibility.’
Therefore far, the continuing state Gaming Commission has approved licenses for two casino projects: an MGM casino in Springfield, also a Wynn Resorts project in Everett. A slots parlor has additionally been approved for Plainville.
Nevertheless, the continuing future of those facilities remains up floating around. Anti-casino advocates have successfully placed a concern in the November ballot asking voters if they would want to repeal the legislation that allowed for these casinos to be certified; a ‘yes’ vote would end plans to build the venues.
But anti-casino campaigners are facing an uphill fight. Not only are the casinos much better funded within their campaigns to beat the repeal effort back, but recent polling has shown that most voters plan to vote to help keep the casinos.
Carl Icahn Taj Mahal Bankruptcy Demands Hit Casino Union
Lawyers for Carl Icahn say that the Taj Mahal will only survive if it’s allowed to break union workers to its contract. (Image: Scott Eells/Bloomberg)
Carl Icahn’s solicitors have actually told a bankruptcy court that he can not keep consitently the Taj Mahal (formerly Trump Taj Mahal) available unless the judge cancels the casino’s union contract. That declaration mirrors earlier statements from Icahn, though the nature that is exact of demands has been revised somewhat since the instead public battles between him and state officials.
Speaking on behalf of Icahn, lawyer Alan Brilliant told US Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross that Trump Entertainment Resorts, the house’s parent business, merely couldn’t afford to keep the Taj Mahal open unless the judge ruled within their favor and allowed them to break their current contract with the union.
‘When you don’t give the…motion, it’s just not viable as being a business,’ Brilliant said in court. ‘ Without that, staying in the pension plan, ultimately very quickly the casino shall shut. That is the screen here; the screen is open.’
Convert Debt into Ownership
Trump Entertainment and Icahn are attempting to push through a plan that would see Icahn transform the $286 million in debt he owns within the casino into ownership regarding the resort. Icahn would then accept invest another $100 million of his own cash to keep it all afloat. However, that investment is contingent on a number of demands that begin with the dissolution of the union contract that is current.
Beyond that, Icahn and Trump Entertainment want for significant help that is financial Atlantic City and the state of the latest Jersey, though they have modified their requests notably following the extremely negative reaction that their first series of demands received. They’re now asking for $175 million in relief by way of a PILOT ( re payments in lieu of taxes) program, also as two grants which can ben’t typically offered to casinos: the Economic Redevelopment Grant and the Urban Revitalization Grant. The state legislature would have to approve enabling the casino to receive such funds.
Initially, Icahn and Trump desired Atlantic City to lower its home income tax assessments by as much as 80 percent, as well as for the continuing state to contribute $25 million more in income tax credits.
Union Lawyers Call It Unfair Advantage
But lawyers for Local 54 regarding the Unite-HERE union said that all of these needs, including those being made of employees and also the state and governments that are local had been simply an attempt by Icahn to improve the Taj’s competitive place over other casinos during the cost of people who could least afford it.
‘Let’s look at the poorest of the stakeholders here while making sure they give up everything permanently before we are even prepared to move,’ said Unite-HERE lawyer Kathy Krieger, while categorizing Icahn’s demands. ‘That’s absolute nonsense.’
Lawyers for the Taj Mahal, though, attempted to show simply just how dire the situation was at the casino. According for them, Trump Entertainment has been selling televisions and used mattresses from the sister that is now-closed Trump Plaza in an effort to earn significantly more cash.
But Trump Entertainment attorney Kris Hansen countered that allowing the casino to split their union was the way that is only could survive.
‘it, we have a chance to stay alive,’ said Hansen if you do grant. ‘The cost structure of this casino does not work, and it has to be fixed. If we’re successful, employees get to keep their jobs, despite the fact that they made some concession. Having work surpasses not having a job.’
Personal Media Games Approved for Real Money NJ Online Enjoy
Farmville has real cash potential for online play; New Jersey wants to make slots and skill-gaming hybrids a real possibility. (supply: www.techinasia.com).
Social media games like terms with Friends and Candy Crush could possibly be the surprising next big moneymaker for New Jersey online gamblers, in the event that state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has its way.
The DGE has established it will now be accepting submissions for skill-based and social games from designers and that its eager to establish a regulatory framework that will enable such games become incorporated into online and land-based operations within the state.
While revenue from old-fashioned slots has dropped off in recent years, social gaming has grown into a worldwide multibillion dollar industry over a similar period of time plus the DGE clearly views the trend as an effective way to reviving brand New Jersey’s flagging land-based casino industry, while boosting the sector that is online.
There was much talk at the recent G2E gambling industry summit in Las Vegas of the state regarding the video slot industry and a general acknowledgement that it requires to adapt and modernize in order to charm up to a brand new generation of players.
Young people tend to eschew traditional slots in favor of other designs of entertainment, and there is a growing feeling that the adoption of ability gaming and social games, such as Candy Crush Saga and Farmville, in a casino context will be the answer, particularly the thought of a brand new form of slots/skill-gaming hybrid.
New Jersey First
The DGE has emphasized that it wishes to go forward quickly with this initiative, banking that being the first in to the market gives it the edge it has lost to its competitors in neighboring states in modern times.
The New Jersey First initiative, that has been designed to revitalize the state’s video gaming and tourism industries, permits treatment that heart of vegas slots free slot casino games is favorable video gaming products that are submitted to New Jersey before every other state. The supply allows products that are such be rolled out regarding the casino flooring within 2 weeks of assessment and approval.
‘The concept of combining skill-based and social elements to a casino game has an appeal that is broad-based’ said the DGE in a news release. ‘It will appeal to a larger part of this population and bring more customers to a casino’s slot floor or to their online website. Social gamers are usually acquainted with these types of games and would be prepared to try them for real-money casino gaming.’
Multibillion Industry
A study that is recent the company Research and Markets shows that an average of 200 million people presently perform social games online per month, and that figure is expected to double within the next 5 years. By 2019, the analysis predicts, the gaming that is social will be well worth $17.4 billion.
In 2012, IGT, the earth’s developer that is largest of gaming machines, which ended up being recently acquired by GTECH, purchased social casino games developer Doubledown for a deal worth well over $400 million and it must be reasonable to assume that the company has been looking into the viability of social/slot hybrids. For the time being, nonetheless, the DGE is submissions that are accepting all companies and all developers, as it attempts to reconsider and reshape its gambling industry.
‘ Given the success of our New Jersey First program over the last three years, we have the time that is fastest to market for electronic gaming equipment anywhere in the country,’ stated DGE Director David Rebuck. ‘The Division is authorized to implement this method and move forward with products. Bring your innovative skill-based games to New Jersey and we shall work them approved quickly. with you to have’
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