A group of taxpayers has filed a new lawsuit that seeks to derail plans for a Wynn Resorts casino in Everett and adds their objections to those of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, who is aggressively pursuing a legal strategy against the casino.
The crux of the taxpayers lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Suffolk Superior Court, is the propriety of the recent sale by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority of a 1.75-acre parcel of land to Wynn. That parcel is planned for the main entrance to Wynn’s proposed $1.75 billion casino in Everett.
On Tuesday, a Wynn spokesman called the taxpayers lawsuit “a desperate” public relations effort meant to distract from the real facts of the” of land transaction.The lawsuit filed asserts that the MBTA failed to comply with state public bidding law in negotiating a sale price of $6 million. The lawsuit names the MBTA and Wynn as defendants and asks a judge to rescind the sale agreement.The taxpayers group filing the new lawsuit includes John Ribeiro, who headed the group Repeal the Casino Deal. That group last year campaigned on behalf of a statewide referendum that would have overturned the 2011 casino law that now allows Las Vegas-styled gambling in Massachusetts. Voters overwhelmingly backed the casino law. Continue reading it below Boston issues subpoenas in lawsuit against panel The city is trying to block Steve Wynn’s casino project in neighboring Everett.Ribeiro said his group supports Walsh’s efforts, but feels its lawsuit is important because it is an attempt to protect a broader segment of the public.
“Mayor Walsh is acting on behalf of the city, while we are acting on behalf of the Commonwealth,” Ribeiro said in an interview. “The MBTA is supposed to be acting in the best interest of all taxpayers, but isn’t doing so in this case.”
The city of Boston, in its lawsuit against the state Gaming Commission, has questioned the MBTA land deal as well. That lawsuit asks a judge to undo the award of the state’s Greater Boston casino license to Wynn. It alleges that the Gaming Commission violated the state’s casino law and its own regulations to make sure that Wynn was granted the license.
The city’s lawsuit calls the awarding of the license “the product of a corrupt process.”
Wynn Resorts, in a letter released on Monday, threatened to sue Walsh for defamation unless he apologizes for the “false statements and untrue innuendo” contained in subpoenas and other documents filed as part of the city’s lawsuit.
The city of Boston responded that “we stand firmly behind the allegations” in its lawsuit.
Wynn, in its statement in response to the taxpayers lawsuit, said the parcel was available to be bid upon by any interested party after notice was made through multiple advertisements in local newspapers and on the state’s central register.
The sale of the parcel was put on hold in April by the Baker administration because the MBTA had sold the land before the state’s environmental protection agency had had a chance to complete its review of the casino project. That review is now pending.
Sean P. Murphy can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Follow him on Twitter @spmurphyboston.| < Prev | Next > |
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