Voters in Brockton narrowly approved a referendum on Tuesday in favor of bringing a casino to the city.
Backers of the plan to build a casino on the site of the Brockton Fairgrounds can now continue in their efforts to win the last state casino license.
Opponents of a Brockton casino held signs and chanted outside the polling place at Brockton’s West Middle School. One of their key objections was that the proposed site for the new casino is directly across the street from the entrance to the city’s high school. But voters like Mindy Paulo say there’s a real upside to a Brockton casino.
“You know, given the state of the economy, I think having a casino here would really revitalize the community, bring a lot of jobs, bring outsiders into the community here to support other businesses here,” Paulo said.
Casino-backers are promising 1,500 jobs with hiring preference in the city if the casino is built, and they spent more than $1 million to get that point across. They managed to edge by with 50.5 percent of the vote. More than 32 percent of the city’s electorate came out for the referendum. Brockton still has to compete with New Bedford and possibly Somerset for the casino license in the southeastern corner of the state.
After squeaking by with the win, casino supporters are now turning their attention to winning over the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
Larry Curtis, who ran the “Yes for Brockton” campaign, credits the win to one thing.
“Jobs, jobs, jobs,” he said.
Curtis says Brockton really needs the 1,500 full-time jobs the casino group says it will bring to the city. The city still has to compete with New Bedford and possibly Somerset to get the casino license Massachusetts is offering for the southeastern part of the state. But Curtis says with Tuesday’s referendum, they won a key battle.
“We’re still in the war, that was the important thing that was necessary for the city of Brockton, because had we lost, the game was over, the war was lost,” he said.
Rev. Jill Wiley is with the casino opposition group in town, and she says now they’ll turn their attention to lobbying the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to oppose the Brockton plan.
“Absolutely, they have a public hearing process,” Wiley said. Which we didn’t have in Brockton, at all.“
Jill Carney’s father, George, owns the Brockton Fairgrounds, where the casino would be built. In addition to the obvious financial benefit to her own family, she says the casino would be good for Brockton’s economy.
”It could bring in $10 million in tax revenues,“ Carney said. ”And it’s 1,500 jobs for the people in Brockton. Residents get priority in hiring.“
Kelvin Garrett voted against the casino plan.
”It’s essentially in our backyard,“ Garrett said. ”And we think with the gaming and all the different people coming, it’s just going to be a breeding ground for crime and things that are not conducive for the family neighborhood. And we have a small child here who got to see the democratic process for the first time. And we’re really doing it for her interest.“
Voter Frank Callahan was still on the fence as he walked into his polling place. He liked the sound of new jobs and income to the city that could reduce homeowners’ taxes.
”I think it’s $10 million a year to the city of Brockton for infrastructure and such like,“ Callahan said. ”So to me, it sounds very good. However, I’m aware that casinos can also bring prostitution, money laundering, lone-sharking, violence, drugs and bad things. So there’s a divide here, you’re not sure, there’s some good, there’s bad.“
