UPDATED CHART: MassGaming receives surrounding community petitions for resort-casino proposals in eastern and western mass
- January 13, 2014
- by MGC Communications
- 0 comments
Today the Massachusetts Gaming Commission announces the acceptance of ‘Surrounding Community’ petitions pertaining to resort-casino proposals in Region A (Eastern Mass) and Region B (Western Mass). The Commission established January 13, 2014 as the deadline for petitions by communities seeking to be designated as surrounding communities pursuant to 205 CMR 125.01(1)(c) and petitions by venues seeking to be designated as impacted live entertainment venue pursuant to 205 CMR 126.01(1)(b).
The Commission requested that all communities designated as surrounding communities in Category 1(resort-casino) applications (but which have yet to execute an agreement with an applicant) to provide assent to such designation to the Commission by stated deadline.
The Commission also requested the community explain in the petition why it believes that it meets the criteria for a surrounding community set out in MGL c. 23K and the Commission’s regulation, 205 CMR 125.01. The Community was also asked to include any information that will help the Commission to make a determination whether the community is a surrounding community such as a description of likely impacts and the geographic proximity of the community to the potential gaming facility and to the host community. The Commission will use this information in its review, which will also include a review of the RFA-2 application, the RFA-2 applicant’s detailed plan of construction, any independent evaluations, pertinent information received from the applicant, the host community, and the public, and any additional information that the commission determines to be beneficial in making its determination.
Next steps:
Applicants may submit a response to any petitions to the Commission no later than January 23, 2014. Thereafter, the Commission may ask the applicant and the community to make a presentation to the Commission. Throughout the surrounding community petition process, applicants and petitioning communities are strongly encouraged to continue to try to reach a mutually acceptable solution. If an agreement is reached outside of the petition process through such discussions, the agreement may be submitted to the Commission.
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If you would like to view the press release for this announcement, click here.