The following is a message from Chairman Steve Crosby to potential applicants to the 2015 Community Mitigation Fund

Dear Community / Potential Applicant:

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (“Commission”) is pleased to announce the availability of the 2015 Community Mitigation Fund guidelines and application.

Since its inception, the Commission has worked to help the Commonwealth realize the benefits of expanded gaming.  These benefits include the thousands of expected jobs for Massachusetts residents in the areas of construction, hospitality and tourism, and the generation of $300- $500 million in new revenue for the Commonwealth and its cities and towns.  The Commission has also worked to help the Commonwealth avoid or minimize negative impacts associated with the arrival of expanded gaming.  As part of the effort to help offset impacts that may result from the development and operation of gaming facilities in the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Community Mitigation Fund as part of the Expanded Gaming Act.  Pursuant to the Act, application for funds are annually due in  the beginning of February.

Over the next few years while the gaming facilities are being constructed and particularly when the facilities are operational, the Community Mitigation Fund will play a pivotal role in helping communities and others address impacts.  The Commission looks forward to an ongoing dialogue with communities and other interested parties regarding the use of these funds in the future.  Once Category 1 (full casino) facilities are operational, significant new funds will be deposited annually into the Community Mitigation Fund.  However, at least through 2017, the Community Mitigation Fund will need to rely on one-time funds deposited by gaming licensees as part of their gaming license fee.

This is due to the timing of the recent referendum and award of Category 1 licenses, the fact that no gaming facility is yet operational, and that significant construction activities for full casino licensees remains months in the future.  There is a likelihood that many significant impacts will not occur by the statutory February application deadline.  In recognition of this timing issue, the Commission has determined that it will establish a one-time $100,000 mitigation reserve for each surrounding community, each nearby community that reached an agreement with a gaming licensee and communities that applied to be surrounding communities in 2014.  As described in the Guidelines, this reserve may be used for impacts once they are determined (upon approval of the Commission).  The reserve may be used to help communities plan how to avoid potential adverse impacts and how to best take advantage of the economic opportunities that may result from such facilities.  This reserve will be disbursed by the Commission on a rolling basis after communities have time to determine in consultation with the Commission how best these funds should be used.  Communities can still apply for funds for specific impacts now and in future Community Mitigation funding rounds.

Further detail on this year’s program may be found in the Guidelines or by contacting the Commission’s Ombudsman’s Office.  On behalf of the Commission, I look forward to continue working with communities and other interested parties to help the Commonwealth achieve the goals of the Expanded Gaming Act.

For more information on the 2015 Community Mitigation Fund, please click here.