The state senator who represents racetracks in East Boston and Revere voiced primary support for resort casinos, not racing facility slot machines, in an indication of how heavily the Senate may be lining up behind leadership’s sidelining of the racetracks in draft legislation.
Legislation approved by the House calls for up to 750 slot machines at the state’s two racetracks, Suffolk Downs in East Boston and Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, and 750 more slot machines at Wonderland Park in Revere and Raynham Park in Raynham, a pair of former dog racing tracks.
But Suffolk and Wonderland have formed a business partnership led by Suffolk owner Richard Fields, who has set his sights on a resort casino. Sen. Anthony Petruccelli, who represents the area, on Tuesday voiced primary support for legalization of casinos.
“My preference is for a resort casino at Suffolk Downs,” said Petruccelli, who added that he wants legislation that recognizes, in the process of selecting casino operators, Suffolk’s long role in the thoroughbred racing industry.
Asked about his support for racetrack slot machines, Petruccelli reiterated his preference for a resort casino, saying, “I’m focused on that task at hand right now.”
Draft Senate legislation calls for three resort casinos, located in three separate regions of the state, and does not authorize racetrack slot machines. The House-approved bill sanctions two casinos, without geographic carveouts, and the four racinos.
Should Suffolk prevail in the competition for a casino license, its facility may well host far more slot machines than the 1,500 collectively authorized for Suffolk and Wonderland, under the House bill. But if Suffolk did not win the license, a bill that limits or does not authorize racetrack slots would leave the track out of an expanded market.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo has been the strongest advocate on Beacon Hill of racetrack slots, touting the retention of jobs and the infusion of revenues he expects from the facilities. Like Petruccelli, DeLeo’s district encloses or abuts Suffolk and Wonderland.
Resort casino proponents say the facilities create the largest number of new jobs and could thrive in Massachusetts, especially if competition is limited by geographical boundaries. Racetrack slot supporters claim existing gambling venues, with the addition of slot machines, could provide the state with quick cash while casinos are developed.
Sen. Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), whose district includes Plainridge Racecourse, told the News Service last week that he was more optimistic about racetrack slots based on recent conversations with senators, who have been heavily debating the gambling bill behind the scenes in recent weeks. If racinos are not authorized in the Senate bill, the facilities would likely be pushed as an amendment to the bill during floor debate.
Sen. Marc Pacheco has repeatedly criticized the Senate draft bill’s removal of the House’s guarantees for the tracks. The Senate voted, 26-9, in 2005 to authorize 8,000 slot machines under then-Senate President Robert Travaglini, a considerably more avid slots proponent than Murray.
Senate leaders plan to release their final expanded gambling bill on Friday, with amendments due by Monday – a day earlier than initially scheduled – and floor debate on the bill beginning on Wednesday, June 23.
On Thursday, the still unreleased bill hit a timing hurdle. In an unusual parliamentary procedure, leaders pushed a rules order setting the noon Monday amendment-filing deadline. Sen. Susan Tucker objected, blocking the measure.
Tucker said she was hoping to postpone the deadline, calling it "unfair" to introduce the bill Friday with a Monday amendment deadline. The Lawrence Democrat, a leading opponent of expanded gambling, said she had sought a deadline of Tuesday noon.
"This gambling bill has the potential of changing our state for decades," she said.
Tucker said she planned to object during Friday's informal, which could push the amendment deadline back and could alter the Senate's general gambling schedule.
"We’ll see if we can get a little more time," she said. "I think it’s really unfair ... I’m not being unreasonable. I’m a reasonable person. But this is a profoundly important piece of legislation."
It was unclear early Thursday afternoon how Senate leaders planned to handle the calendar.
Before a Bunker Hill Day meeting of the budget conference meeting, Sen. Stephen Brewer, vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee, said Thursday, “We will operate according to the rules.”
Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei said Republicans would propose an amendment funneling gambling revenues into a property tax relief fund that would provide rebates at the end of each year.”
“We feel like that would be something that would really be a boost to the economy and help out a lot of people who are struggling right now,” he told the News Service Thursday.
Asked whether the GOP amendment would take money away from expected carve-outs for gambling addiction treatment, Tisei replied, “If people want to take out a little money for treatment, that’s fine.”
A second Republican proposal would require a local referendum for any municipality that would host a casino.
“It will dramatically change the character of any community that it’s located in, and the voters should have a seat at the table and some type of a role in the decision-making process,” said Tisei, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
Petruccelli’s comments come as senators and lobbyists have been privately musing about the composition of the Senate-House conference committee. On the House side, Rep. Brian Dempsey, who helped DeLeo’s office author the bill, is a near certain selection, just as Sen. Stanley Rosenberg is on the Senate side. Rosenberg’s deputy in formulating gambling policy was Sen. Karen Spilka, Dempsey’s Economic Development Committee co-chair.
From there, the roster becomes murkier, as members said Murray and DeLeo could tap their respective budget chiefs, Sen. Steven Panagiotakos and Rep. Charles Murphy, to address the bill’s fiscal components. Members also said DeLeo might select Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein, a close ally who represents an adjacent, Revere-based district.
