Yes

I bet that bridge gets built before a curtatone gets arrested

Go on...

I was not aware of these studies that concluded a massive revenue generator that creates 1000's of good-paying jobs does nothing to help a local economy. Could you point me to one of these studies, please? I'd be very interested to look at it.

Be advised, as my friend and longtime 2+2'er RR likes to point out, if it's not a peer-reviewed study, then don't bother, as most studies are commissioned with the intent to find a pre-determined conclusion. "Peer-reviewed" means a 2nd group of scientists (who were not working for the folks who commissioned the original study, and are therefore impartial) recreated someone else's study, to see if they'd get the same conclusion.

I don't have any studies to cite, just anecdotes: I worked in Tunica MS for 9 years. Tunica was once "the poorest county in America", so in desperation, they allowed casinos. These casinos were wildly successful. They paid so much tax revenue, the county literally didn't know what to do with all the money. Every resident in Tunica County paid $0 for trash pickup, $0 for their water bill. When I moved down there in 2000, they were erecting a $1M clock tower in the town square, pretty much because they had an extra $1M laying around, and nothing else to do with it.

Sure, Tunica's casino industry is dying now, but that's a function of all the surrounding states legalizing casinos and cutting into their market share (cutting? more like slashing and gouging!), a completely separate discussion.

Nitpicking terminology here, but peer review is when impartial scientists review a publication to assess the methodology and internal logic of a report. Reproducibility refers to what you describe, where someone else replicates a study to see if they get consistent results. Both increase the strength of evidence.

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I would also love to see some non-casino sponsored studies on this.

The only examples of casinos working out well seem to be scenarios where some poor area uses their geography and law to extract money from richer neighbors. (Tunica, Macau, tourist casinos that often don't allow locals to walk inside.)

It just seems like a predatory way to extract money that doesn't benefit the community compared to normal businesses that tend to grow into bigger and nicer things organically. In most casino towns I've seen, you step a few blocks away and you see instant poverty, druggies, Cash for Gold, pawnshops, scammers, crime, and little else. Most of these casinos do everything they can to not let their customers walk outside and actually spread their money around town.

As for jobs, casinos are mostly low skilled service jobs with a few well paying jobs up top. Vegas had 100 years of monopoly, billions were extracted for investors, but the city is still mostly a dump with mostly low end jobs, crime, and lousy schools, etc.

I wonder if casino money is similar to the so called "resource curse" where poor countries with huge resources almost never turn those poor countries into wealthy countries. The resource perpetuates corruption and there is no focus on investment in the future (education/skills/etc). Maybe there is a "casino curse" similar to the "resource curse."

I think this is slightly different as this is a multi-billion high end resort with 5 star restaurants, luxury spa, etc... and the clientele at the Encore is probably higher than those at the Assembly Row outlet mall. I've been to Assembly Square many times and it is one of the nicer parts of Somerville but it is a total piece of garbage compared to The Encore. The Encore is also smack in the middle of a major metropolitan area not cut off from the rest of the city. It is literally super close to downtown Boston, Cambridge, and so much more and it replaced some chemical plant that offered nothing. They literally could not have asked for a nicer neighbor that will drive people who want to spend $ to their area.

I'm not anti-Somerville or pro-Encore but I grew up in Boston and have seen the transformation of literally every single neighborhood into one of the most expensive places to live in the world. It is top 3 in USA after San Fran and NYC. It is literally because of projects like this and bridges like this that do it.

He won't be mayor forever...

Do any of you know about the neighborhood north of Wellington station? It looks like a 15mi walk from my AirBnB to the station. Would you walk through that neighborhood with poker money?

Maybe I'll look into getting a marker?

Do any of you know about the neighborhood north of Wellington station? It looks like a 15min walk from my AirBnB to the station. Would you walk through that neighborhood with poker money?

Maybe I'll look into getting a marker?

heh I had just moved it here for you

That's service! <3

" In most casino towns I've seen, you step a few blocks away and you see instant poverty, druggies, Cash for Gold, pawnshops, scammers, crime, and little else"

You're describing Everett BEFORE Encore. And all the surrounding communities have agreements with Encore. They got a large lump sum for signing off and will get payments annually forever. I'm not saying it's as good as say a large manufacturing facility, but come on, Everett, or Revere, Malden, Chelsea for that matter can't do much better than what they're getting.

You would very likely be fine but why risk it? I'm not sure if encore will offer safety deposit boxes but this would be my option in your shoes, that way ur cash is at the casino. Maybe uber in the first time too so ur never walking in "seedy" areas with an egregious amount of money on your person.

There is no reason to ever walk to and from the casino. It is literally off a major road Route 99 which isn't a highway but it isn't a city street either. While there are apts and homes on that road and businesses like car dealerships, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, etc... you don't need to incur additional risk of someone just trying to mug you with a plastic gun or anything.

I've think Uber Pool will be ultra busy 24/7 in that area and should not be more then $10-15 to most places and chances are you can get away with $3-5 many times.

My trip will be opening weekend, I anticipate the most ****tiest of shows traffic wise.

I did not plan to walk to the casino, that would be an hour or so walk. I was planning to walk from my airBnB, a few blocks north of Wellington Station and take the shuttle from there.

I'm imagining shuttles, Ubers, taxis, and driver's all getting caught in a huge snarling mess.

I'd like to hear more about this "Robust water taxi service"

My mind wandered while reading. For a second there, I thought you were telling him to prevent robbery by putting his money in his shoes.

Also describing Atlantic City before casinos.

Not completely discounting the point, just saying the corrolation may not be direct causation.

There is good reason for Somerville’s Mayor to have an axe to grind against the casino. His town was not originally included as a surrounding community, despite ya know being a surrounding community. It was only after a long legal battle with multiple lawsuits did they finally settle through arbitration on $150,000 annually plus road improvements to offset the negative impact that Somerville presented in the suits.

This ainec.

That is fine. That area is not rundown, or seedy at all. Who knows what it will be like in a few years after Encore opens but for know it's as safe as any other typical town outside Boston.

I'm imagining a huge mess too. The area is congested, 'thickly settled' and is typically jammed with traffic now, pre-Encore. That being said, it will still be my first choice over the pilgrimage to NH.

I remember when the brand-new Mass Gaming Commission announced that they found Caesar's Palace unsuitable for a license. Steve Wynn himself mused aloud that he wasn't sure if owning the Boston market all to himself was worth the risk. Paraphrasing, "We might dump $1.5B into this project, and then maybe they'll find US unsuitable?"

He might be right...the hearing is scheduled for next week.

Revere intercoursed it up as well. They backed Caesar's and the long time mayor got sent packing for not getting a deal.

What kind of games you guys think will run here?

Poker

I have no inkling but I hope the lowest game is 1/3.

What does the Wynn spread in Vegas?