No, not Hartford.
"Town finds casino is mixed blessing" December 12, 2011|By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff
MONTVILLE, Conn. - On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, cars and buses stream off the highway onto Mohegan Sun Boulevard, a four-lane access road that funnels people to the casino and away from everything else.
For the vast majority of visitors to the mega-casino, the country’s second-largest, that stretch of road is the only part of this Eastern Connecticut town they will ever see.
“It’s a little city all to itself,’’ said Leah Van Ness, a flower shop owner who likened the casino to the Emerald City in “The Wizard of Oz.’’ “It’s right here, but it feels far away.’’
As communities such as Springfield and Foxborough consider lucrative promises from developers and debate the merits of having a casino in their town, the experience in Montville over the past 15 years offers insight into the potential pros and cons, and a cautionary tale for those who see casinos as economic saviors.
Now we get the cautionary tale.
While the Connecticut casino has become a leading employer in the region and pumped tens of millions into its economy, its self-contained design has limited its effect on many local businesses, and town and business leaders warn their Massachusetts counterparts to temper expectations.
“Hopefully, they don’t think all these people are going to come through town,’’ said Nancy Gray, president of the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce. “No, they are going to go down your roads. People aren’t going to be shopping in the gift shops. They stay within those walls.’’
Mohegan Sun’s restaurants and shops, while a welcome alternative for locals and a boost to the town’s tax base, have also siphoned customers from other retailers, some residents say....
Still, Ronald McDaniel, mayor in the middle-class town of 20,000, and other city officials said the casino, while in some ways a disappointment, has provided an unmistakable boost. It has employed thousands of residents, offsetting losses in manufacturing and light industrial companies that were the cornerstone of the region’s economy.
“They picked up a lot of jobs that were lost,’’ McDaniel said.
Mohegan Sun has more than 8,000 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the state, the tribe says.
Related: As Mohegan Sun plans casino in Western Massachusetts, tribal owners warn about debt problem
Ridden with debt, huh?
Tony Sheridan, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, said the casinos are a major economic catalyst.
“The ripple effect is enormous,’’ he said. “They do a tremendous amount of purchasing throughout Connecticut.’’
In 2007, a study by Spectrum Gaming Group concluded that the casino provided substantial economic benefits, generating 16,000 jobs and more than $585 million in personal income.
Much of that comes from jobs indirectly created by the casino, and town officials noted that some businesses, such as hotels, service stations, and fast-food restaurants, have thrived in recent years.
“That’s directly linked to the casino,’’ said Candy Buebendorf, chairwoman of the Town Council.
The financial boost, however, has come at a cost. Traffic has gotten worse, particularly in the evening, and drunken-driving arrests have surged....
See: Connecticut Casinos Kill
Some residents complain that the proximity of the casinos has created a secret plague of problem gambling, usually involving those who have the least to lose.
“People who can’t afford it but just keep going,’’ said Laura Brimlow, who runs a consignment shop, echoing a widely held sentiment in town.
The casino has also drawn an influx of immigrants, primarily Chinese, and their children often enter school speaking little English. The people have moved here from other cities, often New York, to work at the casinos, residents say. That has forced the schools to bring in more bilingual teachers.
And buses have crashed ferrying people to and from casinos.
“It’s been a cost to the schools,’’ Buebendorf said. “Our English Language Learner program has really had to be beefed up.’’
An uncounted cost.
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Otherwise, most residents say the casino has a surprisingly small impact on the life of the town. Gamblers pour in and out, but barely leave a trace....
Then why are so many people in the community against it, especially in these bad economic times?
A sizable minority of residents say they are morally opposed to the casino, believing gambling is wrong. But most residents say they enjoy an occasional visit to the casino, and add that the concerts, basketball games, and restaurants that are part of the complex provide alternatives for nonbettors.
That creates jobs, and even critics of the casinos say they are badly needed in a region going through long-term shifts.
In the past 15 years, the two casinos accounted for most of the employment growth in the state.
“If we didn’t have the casinos, where would we be?’’ Gray asked. “In the long run, people understand that.’’
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Related: Boston Globe Says Everyone is a Winner at Casinos
Casino Comparisons: Connecticut's Foxwoods Failure
Yeah, where would you be?
"Mass. gambling threatens Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun; Already in debt, Conn. facilities brace for rivals" by Andrew Caffrey Globe Staff / December 27, 2011
LEDYARD, Conn. - Kyle Dacey is a regular at Foxwoods Resort Casino, driving the 100 miles from Brookline as often as five times a month. And he knows exactly what he’ll do once new casinos open in Massachusetts.
“There is no reason to drive an hour and a half when there’s one 20 minutes away,’’ said the 28-year-old Dacey as he concluded a recent evening of card-playing at Foxwoods.
Meanwhile, at the nearby Mohegan Sun casino, Dracut couple Luiza and Greg Harding recently caught a show by pop star Jennifer Lopez. They occasionally go for the full package - dinner, a show, maybe a little gambling, and a relaxing overnight.
The Hardings would certainly prefer to be entertained closer to home, but said they could be persuaded to return if Connecticut casinos make it worth their while, with special deals on hotel rooms, for example, and other promotions.
Such is the challenge facing the once invincible gambling tandem of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun that - even before the threat of losing customers to Massachusetts - was struggling with declining revenues and big debts.
What? The golden goose gone dry?
The two are now plotting for the day when they will outright lose customers such as Dacey and scramble to keep those like the Hardings.
Industry specialists estimate that Connecticut’s two casinos could lose as much as 20 percent of their business to Massachusetts and other new competitors, in a mature market that is not producing many new gamblers to replace them....
Because NO ONE HAS ANY MONEY thanks to JOBLESSNESS and the BANKS!!
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