Sees folly in chase for casino dollars
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To the editor:
Stephanie Gibbs' guest column ("Casino in Valley could prove 'a local disaster,'" Gazette, Oct. 5) is outstanding. I recommend it to readers if they missed it.
Nonetheless, while Ms. Gibbs offered several good arguments against casinos in Massachusetts, not to mention the devastating impact of a potential Holyoke casino on local businesses, she left out one crucial issue: Casinos are economically unsustainable at the broader, regional level.
Casino advocates argue that Massachusetts needs to build casinos in order to compete against Rhode Island and Connecticut destinations and to generate tax revenues for the state budget. Yet, this ignores the fact that there is a limit to local customers' discretionary spending, as well as the deeper challenge of attracting outside visitors to the region.
One only has to look to the precipitous decline of Atlantic City after the emergence of competition from Pennsylvania casinos in Bethlehem, Philadelphia and the Poconos. Players were siphoned away from the Jersey shore, and the Atlantic City economy is now in shambles.
But things aren't rosy for Pennsylvania casinos either. Sure, their initial construction provided some jobs, but they haven't performed well - especially in the economic downturn - and they have relied on anemic local demand.
Massachusetts' policymakers are ignoring the implication of regional saturation. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering legalizing casinos beyond Indian reservations in order to compete with, you guessed it, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. And New Hampshire is pursuing a casino bill, too.
The bottom line is that there is a limit to how many casinos the Northeast can sustain. It is dismaying that local and state leaders do not display genuine leadership. Rather than passing policies that would support local businesses, nurture green jobs, develop regional infrastructure and provide sustainable growth, they are capitulating to gambling industry interests. The state Senate's decision to join the House in supporting more casinos in the Northeast is deeply regrettable. One hopes the governor will veto the bill that lands on his desk. If not, in 10 years we will surely regret the profound lack of vision by elected leaders.
Greg White
Leeds
