Casino

listen, if they can fix and redesign the infrastructure around the thing, then go for it.... be better than another damned non-profit

Sportsfan wrote: Belmont is 4 lanes going west from West St. Forest ave is 2 lanes. The 4 lanes coming east on Belmont ends right before the fairgrounds. In case you haven't noticed? Trying to cut across traffic anywhere on that stretch of 4 lanes on Belmont is extremely difficult except at a set of lights. I never said it couldn't be done I would like to see more information and not just trust me it will be done right. I have heard that before, just look at the mess of an intersection at Montello and Howard St. and the mess at Reynolds Highway and Un Pleasant. I agree with someone else that said if the casino is going to be so insignificant compared to the other ones then I don't think it's going to be a player at all. Like I said I would like to see more info before I vote!!!!

Not sure how this would impact the project, or vice versa - but I read that a new set of lights will be added at the corner of Belmont and Linwood (no connection, already approved.) Though there is a need for better traffic control, there are already two other sets of lights in close proximity that do not help with the traffic problems. Also, a wider turn into the high school via Belmont is planned. I would love to see walkways over that busy area. I was also wondering about zoning requirements for height as far as a casino goes.

Banned in Boston.

Don't forget gambling is a vice.

I'm thinking taxes...... property taxes, hotel room taxes, alcohol sales taxes, meal taxes and annual payout based on profit. I'm.thinking jobs!!! Bring on the vice.

I'll want to see a concise, practical traffic plan as well. I live off Forest and am greatly concerned they can pull a traffic plan that will answer the traffic issues. On top of that school busses lumber up and down twice a day and my street is a cut through to West Chestnut.? They speed down that street like its a race track. I want to see how they'll enforce cars parking on side street , for those who won't want to pay parking fees if any. I want to see real logistics at these informational meetings and less glitzy market plans.

A vice?... You mean, there'll be a show filmed in the city called 'Brockton vice' ...or something?

"What you gonna do when they come for you?"

If the casino is approved and successful? Maybe we can lure the Red Sox into bringing the Portland Sea Dogs to Brockton? I would imagine a AA Teams attendance would be a lot better here than in Portland Maine. Good for them good for us.

Hope if Casino Deal goes through that the negotiators strike a good deal for Brockton's residents.

The CT casino locations are located outside of large cities. even then surrounding towns have complained of traffic and other issues,
Several small communities in MA said no to Casinos as well as East Boston a review of their reasoning I would think would be healthy.

I have nothing against casinos or gambling that is where I obtained most of my wealth .

Surrounding communities will want a piece of the pie for the additional resources they will have to put in play that impacts their budgets.

Keep in mind that all that glitters is not gold !!!i

Will be interesting to see if or what losses to the scratch ticket nation?

rmbr67 wrote: Hope if Casino Deal goes through that the negotiators strike a good deal for Brockton's residents.

The CT casino locations are located outside of large cities. even then surrounding towns have complained of traffic and other issues,
Several small communities in MA said no to Casinos as well as East Boston a review of their reasoning I would think would be healthy.

I have nothing against casinos or gambling that is where I obtained most of my wealth .

Surrounding communities will want a piece of the pie for the additional resources they will have to put in play that impacts their budgets.

Keep in mind that all that glitters is not gold !!!i

Springfield and Everett are hardly po'dunk little towns. Both are cities, one larger and one smaller than Brockton. Springfield is building downtown.

I'm not sure what demands neighboring towns could make. In general, all induced traffic for this site would be borne by Brockton for the most part. Exit 17 falls within Brockton, and would provide most out of town traffic. Not really talking about Sullivan Square in Boston feeding into Everett. 123 Heading into Easton is all commercial, so probably a benefit to them.

By all means it should be scrutinized to hell, with an open mind of course.

better place for the casino would be the mall... tear down that outdated monstrosity, kick out all the homeless drug addicts in the surrounding hotels... and voila!

perfect place

The link listed below gives an example of why surrounding communities may request compensation for casinos built nearby.
MGM apparantly is giving these funds willingly.

The failed Middleboro casino bid had communities worried about the impact the casino may have had on them.

www.wggb.com/2014/11/19/local-cities-and...nity-money-from-mgm/

rmbr67 wrote: The link listed below gives an example of why surrounding communities may request compensation for casinos built nearby.
MGM apparantly is giving these funds willingly. The failed Middleboro casino bid had communities worried about the impact the casino may have had on them. www.wggb.com/2014/11/19/local-cities-and...nity-money-from-mgm/

So those from the more affluent communities that would not otherwise associate with Brockton now can ask for a piece of the $$ pie? That is a joke. All revenue should go to Brockton if this happens.

@dad with the side street parking question ... it is a valid point; casinos don't usually charge for parking, do they? The only ones I visited were in Las Vegas and motorized scooters are the rage. They zoom through the gambling halls like those who whiz past your house on the way to West Chestnut. In today's Enterprise the developer mentions 3000 parking spaces with some outdoors and others in a garage. How large would that be? He also says that he hopes this will not only be approved, but someday expanded. He makes a point that a casino usually deters crime due to its intense security. That is also his reasoning why it would not impact BHS. Can MA casinos give free drinks to gamblers?

If the Fair handled traffic all these years, why is there such worry about a Casino?
It's the best thing for Brockton I've heard in ages. All that revenue and 1,500 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. It's much needed!

The Fair hasn't done a good job with traffic at least in it its peak days. It's a nightmare trying to get down Forest. It's such an issue that unless there is a well developed and workable traffic plan I'll vote no.

From today's Enterprise regarding casinos nears schools:

The rapid process has yet to give officials and residents a chance to closely examine the developer’s other casino operations and the Brockton project’s potential impact on city students.
“Two schools within a block and a half of this operation. That’s a major concern,” said School Committee member Ossie Jordan. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. This is all brand new to everybody. It came out of nowhere.”

Efforts by Rush Street Gaming – the Chicago-based company behind the Brockton casino proposal – to build gaming facilities elsewhere in the state were stymied by vocal opposition, which criticized the company’s past performance.

If the Fair handled traffic all these years, why is there such worry about a Casino?

maybe because handling traffic the way brockton does for 10 days out of the year is a manageable inconvenience

...but every day?

clifton heights wrote: In today's Enterprise the developer mentions 3000 parking spaces with some outdoors and others in a garage. How large would that be? He also says that he hopes this will not only be approved, but someday expanded. He makes a point that a casino usually deters crime due to its intense security. That is also his reasoning why it would not impact BHS. Can MA casinos give free drinks to gamblers?

I keep referring to the one in Bethlehem, and I apologize, but it's the one I am most intimately familiar, and it would/could be similar to the one proposed in Brockton for many reasons. The pictures show quite a bit of what they did there.
As far as parking, the website for the project lists the garage as having 3,300 parking spots. www.pasands.com/
My notes, have the garage structure at about 4.5 acres. Or, about 10% of the lot per the latest column in the enterprise which now lists the site as 45 acres. I thought 60 sounded too big. That being said, the garage at Bethlehem is 7 storeys tall, with a full bus station at grade level for half of the structure. So drop off is right at the casino for buses.

This one is a bit sprawling overall for my likes, but it would still easily fit in the available space. I'd rather see a bit more height and compactness here, with the hotel portion on top of the gaming floor. I'm hoping based on the recent comments about future expansion, they have this in mind already. Alspo, hopefully whatever surface parking they have at first, would be future build space for expansion, with some expansion upwards on the garage. Easily built into the design.

Edit - About drinks, I think I remember there being something in the legislation that gets around our remaining blue laws as far as drinks both serving them beyond 2am, and ability to hand out drinks on the gaming floor, but I could be wrong.

rmbr67 wrote: The link listed below gives an example of why surrounding communities may request compensation for casinos built nearby.
MGM apparantly is giving these funds willingly.

The failed Middleboro casino bid had communities worried about the impact the casino may have had on them.

www.wggb.com/2014/11/19/local-cities-and...nity-money-from-mgm/

Both reasons given in that are about traffic upgrades. Pretty much what I was getting at. I'll wait to see the studies, but the peaks into the area would mostly be carried on 24, which dumps directly onto Belmont. Maybe some extra traffic concerns on 123 into South Easton. But, there is no other major artery feeding this location. Main Street into Bridgewater should have no issues with handling whatever comes that way. 123, 27, 37 & 28 out to Abington, Whitman, Avon, & Holbrook are not really direct access ways. 27 towards Stoughton could use some love I'm sure, but the bigger bottle neck is between the Mall and this site.
So the major funneling and signage would direct people towards the 123 exit instead.

Locals know which ways to go, out of towners will follow the signs.

The traffic comparison between a once a year ten day special event and a full time/year round business is way off. A casino may stir up some excess traffic upon opening but will level off in time. Perhaps some advanced upgrades to coordinate all the traffic signals will be be order to address an overall increase in business in the area. I see this proposed change in use of the land as an improvement to the general economy of the city.