A local group in Palmer, Mass., is calling on town and Mohegan Sun officials to start discussing the particulars of the casino project proposed for the town.
Citizens for Jobs and Growth in Palmer said in a press release Wednesday that the parties should begin negotiating an agreement now in the event the Massachusetts legislature authorizes casinos this
"As the newest expanded gaming legislation works its way through Beacon Hill, the time is very appropriate to begin the framework of a Host Community/Developer agreement," the group said.
Any bill authorizing casinos is expected to require a so-called mitigation agreement between casino owners and the municipalities where casinos are to be located. Such a law would likely call for residents of host towns to vote whether to approve a casino.
The citizens' group believes passage of an expanded-gambling measure will spark intense competition for casino licenses and that developers that have made progress in negotiating with a host town will have a distinct advantage.
A delay in such negotiations "would impact Palmer's chances to create desperately needed jobs, tax revenue and economic growth for Western Massachusetts," Jennifer Baruffaldi, the group's spokeswoman, said.
Mohegan Sun optioned a 152-acre casino site off the Massachusetts Turnpike in Palmer two years ago and has since maintained a presence in the town.
"We remain committed to Palmer and are grateful for the strong support we have received from the community," Paul Brody, Mohegan Sun's vice president of development, said in response to the citizens' group's statement. "We look forward to continuing our work with local leaders on a host community agreement once gaming legislation is enacted and the important parameters of a community agreement are more clearly defined."
Paul Burns, a member of the Palmer Town Council and a vocal supporter of a casino for the town, said he agreed with the citizens' group's push.
"We need to step up here and be prepared to hit the ground running" if a casino bill is passed, he said.
An agreement that mitigates a casino's impact on a host town will have to address the distribution of tax revenue the facility generates and how that affects state aid to the town, Burns said.
"It will have to be a fluid agreement," he said. "You'd want to look at it again two years out and adjust it, if necessary."
Polls have repeatedly shown that Palmer residents favor development of a resort casino in their town, as did a nonbinding referendum in 1997.
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