What’s up with that? Seriously, it seems inconceivable that Casey Ross and his Globe editors don’t know who the proposed developers of Suffolk Downs are. After all, it’s been reported in their own paper and the convoluted relationship with Vornado, Menino, Downtown Crossing and Suffolk Downs was reported in the Herald last week. I actually hope the Globe was just following the stupid newspaper’s rule in a two paper town of never mentioning a story that had been reported in the rival paper, so since the Herald once mentioned that the Filene’s site/hole and Suffolk Downs have a common developer then the Globe can never mention it…or something. Because if the Globe is not connecting these very obvious dots for their readers simply because they want casinos or because many of Boston’s most powerful are pulling for Suffolk Downs to get one, than that would a giant hole in the Globe’s integrity as a news organization- not to mention its usefulness to their readers & the city.
**UPDATE**– Well, an hour after I put this post up I see that the Globe has just put up a new story for Thursday’s paper about Vornado Realty Trust & Downtown Crossing that actually does share with its readers the connection to the proposed Suffolk Downs casino, because Mayor Menino is now demanding that Vornado be removed from the Suffolk Downs project. It’s not clear what has changed between now and last week, when Menino was “not too concerned” with Vornado’s role in the Suffolk Downs deal. But, evidently the Globe will actually report key connections between critical developments in town when major public officials make direct public statements about said connections. That’s good, I guess.
An interesting line from the new Globe story, that cries out for some further elaboration, but gets none:
The row over Vornado, a $14 billion real estate investment firm, highlights the kind of conflicts that could emerge if the state Legislature approves casino gambling in Massachusetts: Some of the expected bidders are large, deep-pocketed, out-of-state companies involved in other controversial developments and businesses.
Do tell, Globe…do tell. Please, do your job and do tell!
Just let it rot until the government gives you $$$$ – get rid of them, don’t do business with them, that is so anti-social, narcissistic, and against the best interests of a “Commonwealth” as to have me sputtering…
…between this site and Suffolk Downs than that the same developer is involved? If so I’m missing the significance of this fact. Also, can the city condemn the site and just take it over by eminent domain?
…what would be a stronger, or more relevant, connection between two developments than a developer in common.
…how that by itself is relevant without more details? Are we saying there is a pattern of corruption and abuse by the developer? Are city officials in this developer’s pocket? Does the success of one property somehow hinge on the success of the other? I suspect any big developer has interests in multiple properties. I don’t thik that by itself is necessarily a bad thing.
Via link from above, Vornado Chairman Steve Roth giving a speech in March:
Hahaha…ok, hold on….haha, hilarious. OK, moving forward…another detail is the giant hole (see pic above) that has been in the middle of Downtown Crossing for years, to the increasing frustration of city officials and residents- a situation that sounds pretty much identical to the one Vornado bragged about and successfully exploited in a previous development. Another detail is the no-bid slots license & the MA House has voted to give Vornado, with very little critical scrutiny from the press. Another detail is that, according to yesterdays Globe article, Vornado’s partners in Suffolk Downs, like Menino’s “long-time friend” Joe O’Donnell, are scrambling to revise history about Vornado’s role in the politically charmed track project. He now claims the big developer has “no active role in the operation or development of the track,” but a couple years ago the group told the NY Inspector General (who was doing background work on proposed track operators, good idea!) that Vornado’s role in the Suffolk Downs projects was “real estate planning” and as a “savvy businessman”. IMHO, the old answer makes a lot more sense. Some would probably even describe the intentional blight strategy Vornado’s Chairman bragged about to be “savvy,” others would surely describe it as incredibly slimy…there’s no reason it can’t actually be both, but a community that gets into bed with them is at high risk of getting played for a sucker.
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p>Yes, of course big developers are often involved in multiple projects, and those projects are part of the developers record, which they should be judged by. When said big developer is currently responsible for the biggest & most conspicuous ongoing blight in the city (again, see hole above), and said developer has publicly bragged how he previously let properties grow conspicuously blighted as part of a deliberate strategy to get cash from the public coffers; then it is a particularly bad idea to give that developer a no-bid, no-vetting license for slot machines and the inside track on getting a full casino- which is what the Mass House of Representatives voted to do and is currently being negotiated behind closed doors with the State Senate and the Gov.
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p>My overall point is not just that Vornado is untrustworthy and a horrible community partner (though they are), it’s that they are emblematic of the lack of critical scrutiny that has gone into the whole process (official & press pockets probably do have something to do with this). Particularly with the slots…the rush to get into these deals without due diligence is a simply a recipe for disaster.
we have been talking about on BMG about citizens not having faith in their government. Deals like this cannot and do not happen without politicians and bureacrats being complicit either directly or by “looking the other way” as in
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p>Lock them out of the casino deal and then force them to either go forward with the downtown construction or sell it (or take it).
The demolition permits should never have been issued, until Vornado had demonstrated that they had everything (including the financing and contracts) to move forward.
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p>This is no different than the Columbus Center project (remember Dianne Wilkerson), and the construction that started, and stalled, and failed near Tremont and Arlington.
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p>I totally agree that Vornado is far from blameless in this, but this entire episode demonstrates how if you are friends with the right people at city hall (or donate to the right campaign), you can do whatever you want, and if you are an enemy or unknown to city hall, you can’t plant a daisy without a permit, a police detail and a building inspector looking over your shoulder.
They tore down a historic theater there, using BRA eminent domain powers, just to leave it vacant for the next decade.1
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p>The Boston Redevelopment Authority – destroying historic Boston since 1957.
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p>1See http://www.gaietyboston.com/ho… for more details
Look at all the land that is going to waste in South Boston, because they MIGHT build a new city hall there, but then again, they MIGHT not, so acres and acres of nothing but ground level parking and a convention center that is grossly underutilized.
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p>If I had a dime for every time the professionals within the BRA opposed a given project for fiscal, design, urban planning – fill in the blank – reasons, I could fund the taking of Washington Street in its entirety.
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p>The way it plays is that developers cut deals with the politicos – elected and appointed – within City government, and the BRA (after its Board publicly justifies what its professionals oppose) takes the heat.
We are to the Gulf of Mexico as Vornado is to BP.
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p>Bring on the slots!
that is being overlooked.
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p>The media, the Boston Globe and most folks are focusing on other trivial issues: 1. Racinos 2. Smoking/non-smoking 3. Free Drinks, and ignoring more significant flaws in the legislation that call for the BLOATED REGULATORY BUREAUCRACY/GAMING COMMISSION to consider the financial viability and criminal history of applicants.
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p>While Mayor Menino is throwing his temper tantrum over a hole in the ground, it ignores the over-arching issues.
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p>When legislation such as this that will permanently change the Commonwealth is conceived behind closed doors with Industry input and excludes the public, far too much is omitted. The legislation caters to vested interests and short changes the public.
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p>Allow me to call your attention again to the words of former Attorney General Harshbarger: Before we expand gambling …..What are the odds?
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p>This BLOATED REGULATORY BUREAUCRACY/GAMING COMMISSION, as called for in the Senate version, politicizes the appointments, creating a structure ripe for corruption and abuse immediately after the Probation Dept. Hack-O-Rama debacle.
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p>At the very least, consideration needs to be mandated within the legislation that PAST PERFORMANCE needs to be considered.
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p>Not only is past performance pertinent in this instance, but a review of the conduct of Mohegan Sun in Connecticut reveals the active overseas recruitment of labor to fill low wage dead end jobs which impacts public schools and leads to the practice of Hot Bedding, allowing intoxicated patrons to depart the premises which increases DUIs
and fatalities at a time DUIs are decreasing in the rest of the state, failed to stop Gambling Addicts (Spectrum’s words, not mine) and much else that’s contained in the Spectrum Gaming Report that was prepared for the CT Dept. of Special Revenue and is available here: United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts
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p>It should also be noted that Steve Norton = Centaur = Northeast Realty filed for bankruptcy in Indiana in what some describe as an attempt to re-negotiate the terms of the agreement. Centaur also filed for bankruptcy in Pennsylvania to protect their license.
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p>Sheldon Adelson = Sands that failed to fulfill their promises in Pennsylvania and much else.
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p>One single developer shouldn’t be singled out for scrutiny, but rather the entire legislation needs to be scrutinized for flaws such as these to protect the interests of taxpayers.