Everett Casino’s Neighbors Bracing for Traffic Impacts

Banker and Tradesman-State House News Service

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June 20, 2019

As the state’s first Eastern Massachusetts casino prepares to open Sunday, residents in Everett and neighboring Revere are bracing for its potential impacts.

Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo called an 11 a.m. press conference for Thursday to announce he’s creating a commission to track Encore Boston Harbor impacts on Revere. He plans to discuss how the city will track and report “on a number of potential impacts – both positive and negative,” according to an advisory.

Revere does not have a surrounding community agreement with Wynn Resorts, which owns the casino, and “is pursuing alternative avenues to ensure impacts on Revere can be addressed and mitigated,” according to the mayor’s office. Through community agreements, the casino is expected to pay $25.3 million each year to Everett, $2 million to Boston each year, $1 million each to Malden and Medford annually, and lesser amounts to Chelsea,

Somerville and Cambridge.

Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Everett Police Chief Steven Mazzie, Encore Boston Harbor

President Bob DeSalvio and State Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Favuzza held a press conference along the Mystic River in Everett on Wednesday to discuss transportation and public safety plans for the casino’s opening period.

Gamblers will be able to get to the state’s second full-scale casino by water taxi through Boston Harbor, by bus from Millbury, Rockland or Londonderry, New Hampshire, via an

Encore-branded shuttle from a number of areas MBTA stops, or by a smaller shuttle that will make stops in the neighborhoods around the casino. Officers from the Boston, Everett and Medford police departments will be joined by state troopers and officers from various other law enforcement agencies – about 120 officers in total – will be on duty for the happening days to assist drivers and ensure the peace.

The casino reportedly expects nearly 100,000 visitors on its first day on Sunday, June 23.

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