Town officials on canceled casino: La-la-la, we can’t hear you
COMMENTARY
Elected officials in Somerset say their casino dream isn’t over ’til it’s over, even though it really looks like it’s over.
Earlier this week, a would-be developer in the Fall River suburb dropped out of the running for the state’s final casino license. The company, Crossroads Massachusetts, had missed several deadlines to submit a full application for the license, including one in early May. At the latest deadline, Crossroads asked for an extension, but decided to withdraw from the competition a week later. Two other applicants—one in New Bedford, one in Brockton—seem set to compete for the regional casino license. A decision on which of them, if either, gets it is expected later this year.
That would leave Somerset out. Just don’t tell that to two of the town’s three selectmen. According to The Herald News of Fall River, a consultant working to help the town land a casino spoke with two selectmen about Crossroads’s withdrawal, and told them to keep on believing.
“As far as their withdrawal, it doesn’t mean Somerset is out of the picture,’’ selectman David Berube told the paper.
Another selectman, Scott Lebeau, said of the consultant: “They’re not convinced until the fat lady sings.’’
It’s no real wonder why the consultant would want to keep pushing. Previous news reports have said the town consultant would be paid on a contingency basis, based on revenue from a someday-casino in the town.
We’re talking about gambling, after all—not everybody wants to cut their losses when they think there might just be another hand to play. And if there’s nothing to lose for the town, why not play along?
“It may be we’re dead in the water. (But) we have nothing to lose by listening to our consultants saying we’re still in the game,’’ Berube told The Herald News, before acknowledging he wasn’t totally clear on what he was talking about. “All these things are in flux. Things are changing so rapidly it’s hard to keep up with everything,’’ he said.
For the past several months, another selectman—Donald Setters—had done most of the public speaking on behalf of Somerset’s quixotic casino quest. But Setters was soundly defeated in town elections this week by an anti-casino opponent.
The gaming commission seems ready to move on from Somerset. Gaming board chairman Stephen Crosby said at a Thursday meeting, “Crossroads has withdrawn, so that’s the end of it.’’
However, a gaming commission spokesperson, responding to inquiries about the Somerset officials’ comments, left the door cracked a little bit open, saying the board is “always open to hearing information about additional proposals, however, at this point it would appear there are two applicants.’’
So…you’re saying there’s a chance!
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com