Politics & Government

Sue Tucker: Slots Plan Has 'Yuck Factor'

Residents gathered for a public forum on the controversial Tewksbury plan.

When the Massachusetts Gaming Commission held a public forum with the Board of Selectmen at Memorial Hall Library Tuesday night, they may not have been expecting former State Sen. Susan Tucker to deliver a scathing, fiery battle declaration, but that's exactly what they were handed.

Tucker spoke at the forum, which was meant to answer residents' questions about Tewksbury's plan to allow a slots casino on the Andover border.

Recently, the Tewksbury Board of Selectmen approved a deal with the Commission to allow a 1,250-slot facility near where that town meets Route 133 and River Road in Andover.

Voters in Tewksbury will vote in a few weeks at Town Meeting on whether to allow a zoning change that would make the slot parlor possible.

What's the Deal?


Gaming Commission spokesman John Ziemba gave a presentation about what the selection process would be like if the slot parlor zoning change passes.

Basically, there are 10 gaming applicants for the Tewksbury land, some slot parlors and others actual casinos.

"It’s a competition, and how each applicant deals with these concerns of surrounding communities will help determine who is awarded," Ziemba said.

Surrounding communities i-- including Andover -- will be negotiated with to sign on to agreement with the gaming facility. Part of that agreement process includes impact studies paid for by the gaming facility.

Find out what's happening in Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It's quite understandable that communities would not want to take those studies on their face," Ziemba said. "There needs to be some mechanism whereby communities can understand impacts for themselves, not based on national studies."

If there's no agreement within 30 days, the commission will then seek arbitration between the gaming facility and the town.

Find out what's happening in Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We obviously understand that host communities are in a much better position for negotiations," Ziemba said.

No application is considered complete without the agreement, but the Commission still has the authority to proceed with a deal with the gaming facility even without surrounding communities' approval.

'Yuck Factor'


A longtime opponent of gaming in Massachusetts, Tucker spoke forcefully about her experience dealing with the industry, which she called a "racket."

“How many other businesses come into town already promising paid litigation for all the negative impact it’s going to have?” she asked. “Their goal is to suck in as many citizens as possible to throw their money in the slots, money that will go toward investors out of state, and that my friends is not economic development.”

Tucker, who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1982 to 1992 and in the State Senate from 1999 to 2011, urged residents not to be taken in by a sales pitch.

“Whatever deals are made today are gonna change tomorrow. Casinos are in trouble all over the northeast," Tucker insisted. "Everything they promise is gonna go downhill, it’s a racket and it’s going on all over the country... Many communities have said go away... It’s not the wow factor, it’s the yuck factor.”"


Most people in the room agreed. In fact, no one spoke in favor of the slot parlor.

"I live directly near the impact, and I’m freaking out," Holly Gilmartin said.

"It takes a massive people to fight an issue, and in my opinion this is a political issue, and it’s because the state is lacking funds to run government and they have to make up ways to make money," Mary Carbone said.

Next Stop Tewksbury

Tucker is calling on Andover residents to go bold.

She wants to rally residents to go to Tewksbury and campaign against the proposed zoning change that would make the slot parlor possible.

"It is a rip-off on you, and your neighbors and your friends," she said.

Many in the crowd called out for a clear strategy of fighting the Tewksbury zoning change.

"Please get to the Tewksbury Board of Selectmen, and have them consider the lessons from Detroit," Rich Byron, whose wife is from now-bankrupt Detroit, said. "They brought in casinos for two reasons economic development and tax revenue... how is the economic situation in Detroit?"

Meanwhile in Tewksbury Tuesday night, the Tewksbury Finance Committee held their own public hearing about Penn National's proposal, and a representative of Penn gave a presentation urging for the town to allow what they've named Merrimack Valley Casino.

In addition to gambling, Merrimack Valley Casino would have a "Flutie's Sports Bar," a joint venture of former New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie and Penn National, according to Tewksbury Patch. Penn representatives also said they would partner with Tewksbury hotels to accommodate casino guests and bring more revenue to the hotels.


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