isn't Foxwoods bankrupt?? That's what I have been hearing. If that is true it does not sound promising for Milford.

The huge constant increase in traffic and rise in crime along with the stress on town resources, (police, fire & EMS) etc. is not worth the low paying service jobs and a small uptick in the business community. We have enough problems in Milford dealing with bad traffic, illegal immigration, illegal apartments, crime and people trying to move in a strip club, etc. This casino will make will put more of a heavy burden on the town. We are better off if they built an industrial park that would provide good quality jobs and long term economic growth. This would be less of an impact on the town and surrounding areas.

agree

I agree. Somehow I doubt it matters what we want though.

i'm a little confused...everyone against the casino says "no one will leave the casino and come into town"(so it won't help the economy), but at the same time it's a "huge constant increase in traffic"...how is it both? the casino is planned to be right off of 495 on the border of town, so if the patrons aren't "coming into town" then how is it going to be such a "traffic burden"-especially when the worst of the traffic problems in Milford today are on main st, and roads going from 495 THROUGH town and not on the borders?

I agree with Jennifer .. You can't have the argument both ways,.. I am not a casino person and not sure what impact this would have on our utilities such as sewer and water but if you say it won't help business so why would it increase traffic?. and one also wonders if Foxwoods was in on this at the git-go.. Don't know much about this Mr. Nunez but seems that's a lot of cash to risk.. $400,000 Non- refundable.. This is way beyond me , I guess, but common sense says Jennifer is right

It's not just the traffic that will affect us. I've stated in previous posts, Where will all the water come from to take care of the multitude of restaurants, rest rooms and hotels? The Milford water company?

A quote from the Boston Globe, July 2007
"Since casinos opened in two small, rural Connecticut towns in the 1990s, there has been a sharp increase in local traffic, police calls, and drunken driving arrests, according to a Globe analysis, and the changes have spilled over into neighboring towns as well"
A casino will be taxing on the local police, fire and ambulance. (In just 1 year, there was a 10% increase in crime in Ledyard Conn. after Foxwoods went in)

A casino will adversely effect local businesses, some studies show that 38% of local restaurants showed a decrease in sales

Within just four years of the casinos’ arrival in Atlantic City, one-third of the city’s
retail businesses had closed. That would be tough on local business owners.

Jobs? Well most construction jobs will be temporary, other jobs will be experienced casino workers imported from elsewhere, the remainder will mostly be low paying service jobs.

Needless to say I oppose a Casino!

I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe that we would get an excess of traffic from 16 or 140...neither of those roads is really a "route" to the milford casino and are mainly used for by commuters through town to and from work or too and from 495(to get to towns other than milford). considering where the other casinos are planned to be placed the people who would be coming 16/140 would probably be going elsewhere and not to the milford casino based on geography. If you actually stop and look at the difference between foxwoods and the casino proposal here you see some MAJOR differences. The first of which is that Foxwoods is MUCH farther from the main roads than the Milford casino is proposed to be. In order to get to Foxwoods, you have no choice but to take "Routes" that go THROUGH those little towns, which is NOT what is proposed here...here the casino is slated to be almost directly off the highway, so if you want to compare the two, you might want to take some "perspective" in the distances and layout of the geography of both, because they are STARKLY different.

and again...if they're NOT coming to town for food, or anything then that traffic won't effect us...can't say it will and won't in the same breathe.

Also, exactly retail businesses closed in Atlantic City...what specifically where they selling? I'd like to know...there aren't many "mom and pop's" around here that I see being effected by the "adverse effects" of a casino... Do you really think that Milfordians are going to go to the Casino instead of going to 7-11 or Tedeschi's? You think someone is going to the Casino instead of the drycleaners down the street or to charlies mini mart? If you're talking restaurants then you think 99, Applebees or TGI Fridays is going to close? How about Lowes? Seriously, I would love to know WHICH businesses and industries are going to go out of business specifically because the casino comes in.

those "low paying jobs"....they're still jobs aren't they? do they pay more than mcdonalds or dunkin donuts, or waitressing at any of the local restaurants? do they help to get people off unemployment, or maybe provide that much needed second income to get off public assistance? It may not be "high paying" but if it's a job, it's a job.

ps. I'm not FOR the casino, but no one been able to make an argument that makes me want to flip to adamantly against it either.

This is a great article everyone should read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/magazine/mike-sokolove-foxwood-casinos.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I think this is a bad sign, because it improves the seriousness of the bid. I am pretty much against this casino project now. There's a lot more space and less frequented roadways slightly further west. Go West!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/CasinoFreeMilford

Jennifer, you do realize that to get on 495, people would have to access other routes first, right? And also backroads? People coming from Holliston or Natick to come to the casino would have to use 16, and then the main roads of Milford to get onto 495. People from Hopedale, Upton, or Grafton that would possibly access the casino would need to ride 140, then get on 16 via Main St. So yes, increased traffic is most definitely a major, and incredibly legitimate concern. To ignore that would be extremely risky.

Furthermore, Ralph brings up a very good point about the sewage/water supply. As is stands now, and for the foreseeable future, the Milford Water Company is a complete mess that can't seem to manage to bring quality water to the people who live here. How exactly would they supply it to a giant resort casino? Putting a casino in Milford of all places is extremely problematic, and I'm against it 100%, especially for all the other reasons listed here.

Foxwoods' bosses, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, have a discredited history and should not be welcome.

The tribal council's former chair, Michael Thomas, and his brother and current tribal treasurer, Steve Thomas, were indicted by the U.S. Govt in January on fraud and embezzlement charges of more than $1 million. Michael Thomas previously was arrested in RI and served prison time for selling cocaine.

Another former tribal chair who preceded Thomas, Ken Reels, are cousins --- filed bankruptcy $7 million, despite reports that he received an annual salary of more than $2 million.

Another former tribal councilor, Tony Beltran, was recently named chief of staff. One of his duties includes tribal police oversight. One problem: Beltran's a former convicted felon and did California prison time.

His crime?

He was in a car with some friends and told them he wanted to ``kill a white boy.'' The victim, also a teenager, was picked because he was walking alone down a street in early morning darkness. Beltran stabbed him in the back and paralyzed him from the chest down.

Beltran was sentenced to seven years in prison. While being led from the courthouse, he passed by two newspaper reporters standing next to his victim, who was in a wheelchair. ``You may be smiling,'' the reporters heard Beltran sneer as he leaned toward the wheelchair, ``but at least I'm walking.''

Can you imagine Milford residents welcoming thugs like this into its community?

Hartford Courant
October 25, 1998

Pequot Official Has Record Of Violence
Sovereignty Keeps Member On Council Overseeing Casino

By LYN BIXBY; Courant Staff Writer

MASHANTUCKET — Odds are Antonio Beltran's violent criminal past would prevent him from getting a state license to work at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
But it hasn't stopped him from assuming a position of control over the casino's operations as an elected member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council. In addition to its governing role, the seven-member council acts as a board of directors overseeing the $1 billion-a-year gambling enterprise, which employs more than 11,000 people.

If Beltran were on the board of a casino company operating in Atlantic City or Las Vegas, he would have to be investigated and licensed by state authorities. They would make sure that in the words of Nevada law, he and his associations would not ``enhance the dangers of unsuitable, unfair or illegal practices.'' They would find out that he had served time in prison, had three convictions over a 15-year span and had left one young victim paralyzed for life.
Connecticut's gambling regulators have not looked at Beltran's background because they have no authority over the tribe's sovereign government. For the same reason, officials at the National Indian Gaming Commission don't require background checks of elected tribal officials.

AP/Jan 4, 2013

Former Tribal Chairman & Current Treasurer Charged With Stealing From Mashantucket Pequots

By MICHAEL MELIA

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ The former chairman of the tribe that runs one of the world’s largest casinos and his brother, the tribe’s treasurer, have been charged with stealing a combined $800,000 from their Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, federal prosecutors in Connecticut said Friday.
The indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Hartford follow a lengthy FBI investigation at the tribe’s tiny reservation in rural southeastern Connecticut, where it owns and operates Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The former chairman, Michael Thomas, 44, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 in tribal funds and federal grant money between 2007 and 2009 during his tenure as leader of the tribal council, a position he was ousted from over his handling of the tribe’s finances.
His brother, treasurer Steven Thomas, 38, allegedly stole more than $700,0 between 2005 and 2008 when he was assistant director of the tribe’s natural resources department.
A tribal spokesman, William Satti, released a statement in which the tribal council said the federal charges threaten tribal sovereignty.

@Ralph/Tyler
1. That "study" about the businesses was shown to have faulty criteria and logic. The authors of that had no way to show that those businesses would not have closed anyways. Do you know that restaurants have a 60% failure rate within 3 years of opening? 1/3 ain't bad all considering.

2. I am SURE that people from Douglas, Uxbridge etc will come, but what makes you so sure they don't ALREADY drive through our town to get to 495 a on daily basis? What backroads are you taking from 495 to this casino(other than maybe Purchase St.), it's RIGHT off the highway. Is "Traffic" a concern? Possibly, but NOT according to a study done by Harvard. It shows that neither crime,traffic, or economic "downturn" is at all statistically significant in towns surrounding casinos. Check it out (in case you don't want to read it because it doesn't "support" your view, it ALSO doesn't show an increase in jobs, or the local economy) http://www.hks.harvard.edu/var/ezp_site/storage/fckeditor/file/pdfs/centers-programs/centers/rappaport/applied/casino.pdf

The sewer issue would have to be addressed to them directly as they haven't commented as of yet(that I've seen) but, MWC has SPECIFICALLY said it WILL NOT SERVE THEM...so they would have no choice but to go elsewhere for their water. Oh and that money coming in from them...it helps pay for additional services.

Edgar-This 1. isn't a tribal casino and 2. you don't think we have thugs like that already?

Just about any study can be shown faulty, by a study supported/funded from the opposing side. "but what makes you so sure they don't ALREADY drive through our town to get to 495 a on daily basis..?" Well that is a little flawed logically. Yes people may drive through Milford every day to get to work, but you are still adding that traffic at different times, repeat offenders as it were- and you are assuming that everyone visiting the casino from those towns also drives through Milford to get to work, they may work in Worcester and go the other way. (See, I can fault your logic as you can mine). I will read the Harvard Study despite your condescending comment -"Check it out (in case you don't want to read it because it doesn't "support" your view.."
Really- ?
My final question to you, traffic aside -as we will never find agreement there, Where will the water come from? - Even if the MWC doesn't supply it, it has to come from somewhere.
No more from me on this article- as I said- we have to agree to disagree- it may all be moot, as hopefully the casino will end up somewhere else.

'Jennifer' is polite, firm, detailed, fact-based and oh so well-versed in many, many aspects of casino-related issues. ‘Jennifer’ will have a response for every concern raised about locating a casino in Milford.

Oh wait, 'Jennifer' works for the PR firm Nunes hired or ‘Jennifer’ is on the staff of Foxwoods.

As for her statement, "I'm not FOR the casino" -- just simple misdirection. Perhaps she even recently relocated to Milford.

Watch for a name change, but a similar writing style...and, of course, 'Jennifer' will deny.

“Jennifer’ says “that money coming in from them...it helps pay for additional services’. If it only HELPS to pay for additional services, who pays for the rest of those additional services?

“You don't think we have thugs like that already?” she asks. Now why in the name of my children would I want to add to the local thug pool?

Jobs are jobs, says she. Who cares if they are low-wage jobs with no benefits. Bus them in from where?

Actually, it's best to ignore ‘Jennifer’. She and her co-workers at fWoods have all the answers.

bye-bye.

Jennifer has been commenting on Milford Patch articles for more than a year. Let's keep the comments directed at the article, not each other. Thanks.

Maybe Milford could use the casino to its advantage. Our selectman have already expressed an interest in taking over Milford Water Company. But where will the money come from? The casino project, a $700 million development, could pay for the acquisition if they play their cards right. Just saying...

A casino? We couldn't even get the roads cleaned up for school today and we think Milford can handle a casino? It's a bad idea. We are a small town and we don't need anymore crime and drugs coming to our streets. It's bad enough we pay for the illegals to be here, we don't need to pay for a casino and it's problems too.

Like most everybody else in Milford I am for jobs and a boost in the local economy. Milford is a community of working class people trying to live a decent quality of life. The prospects of low paying service jobs offered by the casino is really not true economic prosperity for this town. The only winners for this casino proposal are the owners, investors and of course the politicians. Milford town officials and selectmen should not get caught up on the hype and lure of big money casino. They need to understand the safety and security of the tax paying working class people and their children in Milford is priority. This should be a guide on how the Milford town government and selectmen need to handle this casino proposal.
Selectmen and Milford town government need to be a little smarter and more creative to develop that land into some type of industrial zone. Putting out incentives to bring in Bio-tech, R&D and IT companies for good quality jobs. This option is a lot less of an impact on Milford and would provide true long-term economic benefits to the whole town and local area businesses. Yeah, it’s probably a lot harder to develop an industrial zone and attract businesses to it. But let’s not let our political leaders get lazy and take the easy way out with big money casino that will only really benefit a few people and hurt the rest of us.

An aspect of such a large enterprise being located in Milford that concerns me is its potential impact on many future decisions that the town might make. The point that I'm aiming at is this: would an enterprise this big have such an impact on the town that the town would find itself granting whatever future requests for changes to existing laws and regulations that a casino might want? Would it become, "if it's good for the casino, it's good for Milford"?
For example, Massachusetts has an existing ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. I believe smoking will be allowed in Massachusetts casinos. If that is correct, it seems that even before a spade is put in the ground, the casino industry has been able to override an existing Massachusetts law that many, many people feel is beneficial. Even if the casinos are required to have a non-smoking gambling section, that doesn't make it for me. They still have rolled over an existing law in order to serve their own purpose. Would there be more such situations and would Milford be able to stand its ground?

The issue of traffic is still, for me, the biggest one. Or at least the most obvious one. Milford has a huge traffic problem, and that can ONLY be made worse by putting a casino here. I have a lot of other issues with it, and agree with posters like x above. But the prospect of the traffic actually getting WORSE is the thing that really makes me angry. I'm disappointed in our local officials for not taking a much stronger, preemptive stand on this one...

And as for the casino somehow solving our water problem, I REALLY don't buy that!

Jennifer - You bring up good points on the difficulty and drawbacks of getting large companies into Milford. Although, Westborough which is also a “little too far” from Boston has a large size industrial zone with companies like BJ’s EMC, Traveler’s Insurance, TJX and Bose, etc. Also, I really can’t see how an industrial park would draw as much resources or nearly as the proposed casino. This casino will be operating 24/7 and will have visitors coming from all directions. A lot of these visitors will be staying overnight or for multiple days. It is pretty obvious a casino will generate more traffic and generate more police and EMS related calls than an Industrial park would. (Are there any studies to make a comparison?) David Condrey, manager of the Milford Water Company stated on WMRC radio this morning that he has concerns if the water company could provide enough water to the proposed casino site. Would he have the same concerns for an industrial park on that site?
Finally, you cited one study “there are really very few statistically positive or negative effects on neighboring towns across the board. We only really make out in slightly increased property values and increased state revenue”. Can you cite multiple independent studies that show similar results for other communities that host a casino and its neighbors? If so, please post them.

x-good points. I can certainly look for comparative studies between the resource consumption of both and let you know what I find.
I have some other studies that basically show the same finding on casino traffic/crime stats. I'll post them for you separately (as they're saved on my desktop not my tablet). I do see a pretty big difference between Westborough and Milford though.Particularly it's geographical layout,positioning in the state and resources. There are other things to be considered though in why we don't really compete for industrial. We can't provide them QUALITY water (integral to biotech), our tech resources are few (Verizon and Comcast can't (or won't) install critical systems they need), and we're farther from Boston (time can be critical in any field , being 45 minutes vs. 30 minutes away from Boston is a big difference to them sometimes)

As I don't have numbers from the Casino on what they expect their "average use" of water to be, it's hard to compare to Milfords already high volume users.(although from what I've read about similar casinos it's about 200k gals a day) the other thing is that we have NO idea if they plan to install water recycling or treatment facilities, so this could all be a mute point to start...I did hear of David's remarks but I'm surprised as he's already stated MWC WOULD NOT have the capability to feed it(except maybe for fire protection) in Patch, MD News, the Courier, and in DEP docs. I'll post those studies for you asap.

Jennifer - where are the studies you promised to post? You made statements above that these studies would prove.

sorry x- they were showing here in the comments as "pending approval" yesterday (another of my comments is pending as well, so i'm not sure if I've been "flagged" and that is why you're not seeing them?). Still nothing as far as direct comparisons of Casino vs. Industry, but i'll keep looking and see what I can find.

mail.csufresno.edu/.../EffectofCasinoGamblingonCrime.pdf

walkerd.people.cofc.edu/pubs/JGBE_GM.pdf

lansingkewadin.files.wordpress.com/.../casinos-and-crime-u-s-...

www.sagepub.com/isw4/overviews/pdfs/Stitt.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:9fxQnKeS7ikJ:jayalbanese.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Albanese_ACityCasinos_1985.354141820.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi1FZrr75htXZ0a62rTBBglvmbzfUKPCY2Z9AnuKqjd0HO3SUHuHP9Z9ZmNDe6mIkdsX5A5GGc_oWMW0eMBRYsAV2hXuwJYhNDmdjkhpBA-8vTM5DoIj4yaY3DnFPilXq3Zn0R9&sig=AHIEtbT1pdg8MvsBFNhYwZCCCRWbTVYCKA

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:U8aP_Jpz1YMJ:www.economics.ku.edu/seminars/Friday/papers(1011)/dec8.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgbCVS7iVVNUBb-a-vEGesGf8-2L6YEr6WTz3fkxRcf-tBqctnI_8z9Vh-M_DevvrNelqDQA6zEP0Rqpw3lQrbFDKsMRTtQcU0CTCV-l0N4bsoUb9yhZZGrAqniHs0rio-LkIHj&sig=AHIEtbS6PTLsE0yhcyWkVneXNl0S1Xk1cw

http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/index.html

govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/reports/gibstdy.pdf

Not sure if all the links will work, some seem to be "abbreviated".I downloaded all in PDF, so let me know and I can forward via email. standuptoMWC@gmail.com.

I wonder where some of the bloggers have been for the past 30 years- Milford has a very agressive program to attract businesses- the town (with money from the state built Fortune Blvd from scratch)- Milford's industrial base is strong and its finances are solid. Companies come and go but Milford was very directly impacted by rte 495. Milford is is the eviable position of not 'needing' a casino.
But bloggers most points do not consider that the EPA and DEP will be very reluctant or downright veto any development that will affect the Charles River acquifer which starts in Hopkinton and makes up the bulk of Milford's water supply. Towns along the Charles are already on notice to limit use. A casino would be a large stress on the acquifer.

How manycars do you really think are going to be here to seriosly effect traffic??!! The entire casio isnt going to evacuate and then completely fill up everuday. There isnt goig to be 1000's of extra cars a day. Monday-thursdayquetier than weekends. Probably wont notice much during the week. If you people dont want the casino dont hide behind these ideas traffic,sm businesses will close because it makes no sense. Leet your real, shallow minded thoughts out witll be a lot

It is difficult to take your point seriously with the awful grammar and punctuation. Anyway, have any of the town officials or police department stated if they feel traffic will be an issue? Or if they feel they can handle the casino fine with our resources(police, fire, water)?

One question that needs addressing is whether the casino would have access roads from rtes 16 or 85. Or would access be limited to a new exit on rte 495.

It is patently obvious that 1) the traffic congestion in Milford is already notorious, and 2) the traffic will increase with any large and successful business that depends upon a steady stream of non-resident clients. Anyone who has driven anywhere near Foxwoods any evening of the week can verify this. As for the other, equally valid questions--about Milford's already "stressed" water supply, about HOW, exactly, and with what GUARANTEES, Milford will benefit in terms of jobs, etc., etc.--we're still waiting. At this stage, there's nothing to be afraid of, but there's a LOT to wonder about, and if some of the bigger questions don't begin to receive attention from the local politicians and the "Crossroads" contingent, that will be a bad sign. I get tired of town politicians and businesses bulldozing their way through the rights of the residents, and as this issue will have a long term effect on OUR community, we'd better get some answers--in writing--and soon.

Exactly. All I am asking for is some information from the town officials.

Our Rep. Carolyn Dykema is <a href="http://www.boston.com/yourtown/2013/02/17/nunes-promises-meetings-milford-casino-proposal-promise-details-casino-partner-casino-proposal-details-offered-meetings-details-milford-casino-plan-promised/9Do2Hnwub3ecYYiC0TgTUJ/story.html">looking out for us</a>:
<blockquote>State Representative Carolyn Dykema, a Holliston Democrat who represents Hopkinton, Southborough, and part of Westborough, was critical of the new partnership, and said the progression of the proposal with new financing and still no outreach to surrounding towns is a problem.

“It seemed a bit sketchy before and it seems even more so now,” she said after the Foxwoods announcement. “We need to have a lot of questions answered, and this just raises more.”</blockquote>