HOLYOKE - Supporters of a plan to place a casino at Wyckoff Country Club will be handing out bumper stickers and answering questions in an informal rally today.
The main aim is to push the Legislature and governor to take up the issue before the end of the year, said Martin J. Dunn, former mayor of Holyoke and one of the proposed developers of the casino.
This summer, a bill to
But Gov. Deval Patrick sent an amended bill to legislators that had no slot licenses, effectively vetoing it because the House and Senate recessed from formal session for the rest of the year and had little ability to debate the changes.
"We are hopeful they will come back into session and we want to keep the momentum going in connection to the casino issue," Dunn said.
Paper City Development, which includes media consultant Anthony L. Cignoli, of Springfield; former Springfield City Councilor Anthony W. Ravosa, of Connecticut; Holyoke lawyer Aaron W. Wilson; David M. Bartley, former president of Holyoke Community College and former speaker of the state House of Representatives; and Dunn, proposed purchasing the golf course next to Interstate 91 for a casino.
"It offers tremendous economic benefits," Dunn said.
To keep the momentum going, the group will serve coffee in the parking lot of J.P.'s Restaurant and hand out bumper stickers to drum up support.
Bartley said he is not ready to predict if lawmakers will return to session.
"From my perspective, it will be good for the state. The state needs jobs and the state needs revenue, but we are not going to gamble our way to prosperity," he said.
Holyoke residents have twice supported casinos in past ballot referendums, but will have to vote on them again if a law is passed allowing casinos, Bartley said.
"We feel confident the voters in Holyoke would support a casino again and the second most effective way to advertise is by bumper stickers," he said.
If a bill is passed and the requirement that one of the resort casinos must be located in Western Massachusetts, Holyoke would still have a fight to for the license to build one.
Owners of Mohegan Sun, who operate a casino in Connecticut, want to build a $600 million casino in Palmer. They have been lobbying in town for more than two years.
James L. St. Amand, community liaison for Northeast Realty, said he still feels Palmer is the best site for a casino in Western Massachusetts.
St. Amand said historically, gaming commissions have frowned on siting casinos in urban locations. For 13 years, he said the Palmer site has been "fully analyzed and reviewed as an ideal location."
Staff writer Lori Stabile contributed to this report.
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