Plainridge Park Casino Slots Parlor was the first casino to open in Massachusetts
Casino gambling in Massachusetts officially begins when Plainridge Park Casino opens Wednesday.
The slot room is the first location approved by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and is the first step in a comprehensive expansion of casinos in the state.
A "meaningful" day for Massachusetts
State Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby attended the opening of the casino, which features slot machines and electronic versions of other games such as blackjack and roulette. He described the launch as a "huge" moment for the state.
“Look at this facility,” Crosby said. "View 500 high-quality, high-paying jobs."
Celebrities in attendance at the opening included former NFL and Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie, who owns a restaurant and bar at the casino.
The opening of Plainridge Park is certainly the beginning of a new era in Massachusetts, which has been the site of one of the most contentious debates over the expansion of gambling in the United States in recent years.
The casino expansion law passed in 2011 was immediately controversial and survived an attempt to repeal last year, allowing gaming venues to open.
Whether the casino will be popular and retain public support remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that they are a godsend for both Massachusetts and the host city.
States and cities receive financial benefits from casinos
Officials expect Plainridge to generate about $200 million in gaming revenue in its first year of operation. The state will receive 49 percent of that revenue, well above the 25 percent it will receive from resort-wide casinos opening in the next few years.
The city of Prineville will also benefit, as the casino agrees to pay $2.3 million annually along with $1.5 million in property taxes.
The local economy should also benefit from the influx of jobs. Penn National Gaming has employed approximately 475 people with an average annual salary of approximately $30,000.
Plainridge will compete with Rhode Island Casino
Many also consider the opening of Plainridge Park Casino to be the first shot fired in Massachusetts' ongoing border war with casinos in surrounding states. Plainridge will compete directly with Twin River Casino in Rhode Island.
Twin River expects attendance to be down in the short term as players want to try out the new facility. In the long term, they hope the expanded product range will keep most customers coming back, although it will take some time to truly know what damage has been done.
“We talk about this all the time,” said John Taylor Jr., CEO of Twin River Worldwide Holdings. "I think we're looking for a full-service casino with a lot of amenities. I think we're ready to do the best you can."
As more casinos come online in Connecticut and Rhode Island, patrons who previously came to gamble from Massachusetts may stay in the state.
MGM Springfield has led Connecticut in developing plans for a third casino north of Hartford, while a casino in Everett and another in southeastern Massachusetts could be licensed A casino would further expand Rhode Island's customer base, which may be limited.
So far, two projects are vying for a final casino license in Massachusetts: a proposal from KG Urban/Foxwoods in New Bedford and a plan to build a casino at the Brockton Fairgrounds.
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Source: www.casino.org
