Colleagues,

With the very successful opening of the Plainridge Park Casino on June 24, the Gaming Commission reached a major milestone. That opening surely represented the wisdom of the Commission’s award of the license to Penn National Gaming, a talented, highly competent and nationally recognized casino operator. More important, though, it represented the culmination of thousands of hours of effort led and supervised by the Commission’s Executive Director. That effort involved –

• those who carefully and thoroughly performed numerous suitability and background investigations and otherwise ably attended to the public safety components of our work;
• those who oversaw the Commission’s fiscal and administrative affairs;
• those who wrote and reviewed the innumerable regulations necessary to create a framework for careful regulation of this brand new Massachusetts industry;
• those who worked tirelessly to issue the vendor and employee licenses essential for the timely opening of Plainridge;
• those who created comprehensive and thoughtful problem gambling protocols that are now widely recognized as cutting-edge models of excellence;
• those who consistently and creatively kept the public informed of the Commission’s activities and schedules;
• those who participated in the intense and sometimes enormously difficult Region A and B licensing processes;
• those who trained gaming agents and police officers to recognize and apprehend patrons who seek to undermine the integrity of the games the casinos offer;  and
• those who in countless other ways managed the Commission’s affairs and facilitated the Commission’s migration from the handful of optimists who were present at its inception to the vibrant, energetic and confident group it is today.

It has been a remarkable journey.

Three and a half years ago, I temporarily shelved my retirement when I was given the opportunity to join those other early optimists. As I said throughout the pre-appointment vetting, my objective was to participate in creating a first rate public agency to oversee this new and, in view of many, highly controversial Massachusetts industry. Together, we all have created that agency. It is now pressure tested and well positioned to take on the many tasks that remain.  I hope you are as proud of that creation as I am.

Now, in the interval between the Plainridge opening and commencement of the Region C evaluation process, I think it is time to pick up my postponed retirement.  I have a marvelous family, including three very young grandchildren whose presence and imagination invariably evoke smiles, energy and a profound sense of wonder. At this stage of my life, I want to spend more time with all of them. Therefore, I met with Attorney General Healey, my appointing authority, last Friday afternoon and informed her that my last day of service as a Commissioner will be September 30. In due course, General Healey will initiate a process to select my successor. After September 30 and to the extent it is helpful, I will maintain a connection to the Commission to facilitate a smooth transition to my successor and to provide whatever assistance might be useful to our legal team and others.

It has been a high privilege to serve with each of you. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me to do so.

Jim