BMG has obtained a copy of the final agreement between the town of Middleborough and the Mashpee Wampanoags regarding the possible construction of a casino. The town will be holding a special town meeting this Saturday to vote on whether or not to accept the agreement.
Here it is (pdf — about 1.1 MB).
I haven’t read it yet — I wanted to post it as soon as I had it. I’ll update the post with anything that seems especially noteworthy; if you find something, drop it in the comments.
Please share widely!
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This is an easy call, and I hope the people of Middleborough do the right thing. I’m a native of Middleborough, but have not lived there for many years — so obviously I’m not a stakeholder.
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But really, folks, come on.
FWIW, here is where the homo-haters are on this issue. i’m only repeating their verbage because i am STUNNED that they haven’t found a way to link gambling to the sexuality that must not be named. they’re a bit over the top in their wording, but that is their style. still, i agree with them that a casino isn’t a good idea. i wonder how they feel about that?
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Why oppose expanded gambling in the Commonwealth? Just a few of the reasons why MFI opposes expanded gambling:
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· Casinos increase crime in the categories of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft according to the most comprehensive study on casinos and crime.
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· For every dollar the state gains from casino gambling, it spends an average of three dollars on treatment for gambling addictions, crime prevention and other costs.
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· Gambling addictions and the ensuing debt can tear apart families through suicide, divorce, bankruptcy and criminal activity.
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· Gambling is a tax on those who can least afford it: the poor, the lower-middle class and senior citizens on fixed income.
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· With the continued glamorization of gambling on television and in advertising, teenagers are gambling illegally more and more. The building of a massive gambling complex as is planned in Middleborough would send the wrong message to these children.
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· Approving one casino does not mean Massachusetts will only have one casino. In fact, it is all but certain that at least one or two additional casinos would be built following approval of the Middleborough casino.
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· Tribal casinos hurt local governments three ways:
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§ The land is removed from the property tax rolls.
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§ The tribes buy up local land and businesses. Sales and excise taxes are not paid, but because they are “sovereign,” they can’t be prosecuted.
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§ Casinos are exempt from local building, zoning, weights & measures and sanitation codes. Local businesses cannot compete and quickly go out of business, further diminishes tax income to the local and state governments.
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· There is no accountability to members of tribes. Those who ask where all the money goes are often kicked out of the tribe. Most of the money goes to tribal leaders and their partners.
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· They are not subject to bans on political activity so they spend both taxpayer money and corporate funds on politics, providing a corrupting influence.
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MFI has long opposed expanding gambling in the Bay State. It is in times of fiscal difficulty, especially of the type that many of the state’s towns and cities are feeling today, that gambling looks the most appealing. Regardless of what gambling advocates will tell you, casinos are not the answer to a town’s problems. From congestion to crime to a loss of local identity, gambling does far more harm than it could ever do good.
I live in the proximity of the proposed casino (within 3 miles) and have noticed not one person on this website as far as I have read has mentioned http://www.casino-friend.com
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I’ve been listening to the debate since the piece of land they purchased from the town first went on the auction block. The reason I mentioned the above website is because they have a lot of information about what is happening in the town and many links to sources including both sides of the issue.
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I have attended most of the meetings in town and will definatly be at the special town meeting this Saturday.
There are 3 articles on the warrant for the meeting. One is a report from the committee that the moderator chose afer it was voted to do so at the annual town meeting. Another article simply asks “do you want a casino in town?”. This is just a vote to get the feel of the voters, NOT to actually decide if it’s coming or not. This is a petitioned article that the anti-casino group in town wanted on the warrant sort of a pice of mind thing. The last article is to approve the contract that they (the town and the tribe) have been negotiating. If the contract is voted down, the Wampanoag tribe can still go forward with their plans and the town will get nothing if that’s what they want to do. This meeting on Saturday may have seemed rushed to some but the town can’t miss this opportunity.
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A bit of info for some that may be worried about the strip clubs and adult stores coming to town, many people in town don’t remember or know this but a few years back it was voted at town meeting to create a “adult entertainment” district way down off route 28 in South Middleborough on the Rochester town line (near Seamass Waste to Energy plant). This was done because if you don’t have an “adult district”, they can be put anywhere. This piece of land is about as out there as you can get (and about 20 minutes from the proposed casino). Surrounding towns should think of doing the same thing.
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I also read on someone elses post that the town negotiated the deal with the Wampanoags on their own. That is so far from the truth. Council was hired just for this purpose. Someone who has dealt with casino negotiations before. His name is Dennis Whittlesey, from Washington.
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On a side note, driving to my parents house from mine I counted 29 “Welcome Wampanoag” signs and 16 “No Casino” signs in residents yards. That’s going from East Middleborough to South Middleborough about 17 miles.
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My hopes are when this happens, Glen Marshall will keep his promises and hopefully the town voters get it in writing.
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And finally, I wish I could open the PDF file of the most current agreement. I’ve tried links on several different sites and it errors out.
at least, for me at this very moment.
Just checked it out, and the very first item I saw insinuated a tie between casino opponents and the Ku Klux Klan. Disgusting.
My word, what a clumsy and insulting attempt to astroturf on behalf of the pro-casino lobby. Casino-friend is the website of that lobby, not a random site that “[has] a lot of information about what is happening in the town”. Be honest.
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I not only mentioned and linked to casino-friend in an earlier comment, I also mentioned Casino Facts, the site of the movement opposing the Middleboro casino/hotel resort complex. (Considering that you just joined BMG today, I can see how you missed it.) There are two websites, one for each side…not one neutral website as you imply.
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Huh. I remember when Harrah’s/the Wampanoags were demanding an answer a couple weeks ago, or we’d miss the opportunity. They’ve proven pretty flexible about fee payments and schedules, so I’m not sure why they can’t wait a bit more.
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True, Whittlesey was hired as counsel, but Bond had a central role in negotiations, as we both know.
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Other towns such as Berkley are already drawing up plans to zone for adult areas on the Middleboro border. I’m not sure that I want “welcome to Middleboro” linked with “XXX books and video here” in visitors’ minds. That’s not the Middleboro that I chose to live in.
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I love the lawn sign wars. The “Welcome Wampanoag” signs all showed up about three or fours days ago — the third generation of pro-casino signs that have been put out (many of which have nothing on them that indicate who paid for them). I’ve seen houses with three pro-casino signs on one lawn — large houses with large lawns. It must be nice to have all that money!
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The opulent houses on Main Street are all pro-casino. Meanwhile the anti-casino signs are in front of humbler homes.
I find it interesting that so many of the comments opposed the resort casino have focused on the the problems(or cost to the state rather) of the so called vices of gambling and drinking. Casino opponents don’t realize how the Mashpee Wampanoag’s vision of a casino in Middleborough will help us. Jobs for our struggling work force are just one of the benefits. Many imply that they will be only minimum wage and service based. I remind you that while a resort development does rely heavily upon the service sector, it also demands a skilled and technology based workforce. Not to mention, our local businesses will benefit from a surge of infrastructure in and around the resort area.
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For 20 years now, the town has been struggling with how to pay for and execute improvements throughout Route 44. As a community we have witnessed countless accidents along this road way including the intersections of Plymouth St, Everett St., East Main St. and Old Centre St The Casino Resort will provide funding and a serious demand for these improvements to be made and achieve a higher and safer quality of life for our residents.
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I look forward to the resort casino being built and Middleborough, and hope that Saturday’s vote is the next step to that happening.
I still drive to Middleborough often enough to know that the Route 44 “improvements” you talk about are unnecessary. Those are not particularly dangerous or heavily trafficked intersections. If people can’t watch where they’re going, why does it then follow that the solution is to build a casino?
hahahahha!
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On the other hand, there are all those that lose their arm to the one-armed bandit…
You talk about “so-called vices of gambling and drinking”. Do you not believe either of those are vices?
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Is there a latent pool of Middleboro residents trained in casino management and dealing that hasn’t found jobs yet? Or are these jobs going to be filled by people moving into town, as happened in Connecticut?
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And are you saying the best way to have fewer accidents is to put many more cars on the road?
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Wow — three brand new posters who all love the casino. I started this week “leaning against”, but given how dishonest the Harrah’s/Wampanoag lobby is, I can’t imagine why I’d considered turning the town over to them.
I travel on Rt 44 each week day and I maintain that the traffic is horrible! The improvements that will be made to the road include: eliminating the three intersections and creating a “fly over” where the Middleboro Rotary is located, similar to what was done at the Sagamore Rotary. But, these improvements will not be made unless the Resort is built, because after all, the Wampanoags are paying for it!
We’ve got so much else to worry about that is loads more important in this town. This country ruined the lives of Native Americans 200 years ago, the least we can do is let them have a Casino and be done with it.
Amazing how many people on this thread just registered this week.
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For kindness’ sake, I’ll leave aside your contention that Native Americans’ lives were ruined in the early nineteenth century, and only in this country. I’ll also leave aside that the best way to make it up to them is to “let them have a Casino”.
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How is Middleboro a superior site?
I can’t believe the state would not have some say in the deal. In the past any deal this big goes through the “Great and General Court” and a few years later the Feds do their indictments. A couple years later the reps and senators get out and retire on their pensions. What happened to tradition?
The state has to permit gambling before it happens.
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Meanwhile, the Harrah’s lobby (which today unveiled a fourth generation of signage and delivered a fifth piece of lit to my door) has taken to spreading the rumor that if voters do not accept the deal, the casino will go in anyway, and M’boro can do nothing to stop it.
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Several years ago, I lived in a town that had capped a landfill BFI was seeking to re-open. I thought BFI was bad, but they didn’t approach the profligance and dishonesty of the Harrah’s lobby.
up the obvious effect: It will destroy the town and some people will make money.
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I have never been to Middleborough so I am just intruding in the conversation. I just know that if this was in my hometown I would definitely not want a casino in any shape or form. Once you get a casino there is no going back.
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Have beople in Middleborough been in touch with anyone from Salisbury? They went through a battle like this a couple years ago–It wasnt identical because there was not Tribe involved. It was quite a battle – a lot of people stood to make a lot of money.