Revere commission keeping tabs on Encore’s impact on city

Boston Herald

Marie Szaniszlo

June 20, 2019

Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo has formed a commission to track whatever impact the Everett casino scheduled to open Sunday may have on his city.

The Casino Advisory Commission — made up of Revere’s police and fire chiefs, as well as the heads of public works, transportation, constituent services, economic development and substance abuse services — will track any effects Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor has on Revere so that the city will be able to try to have any negative ones mitigated by the casino or the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

“Ultimately, what we’d like to have a conversation about,” Arrigo told the Herald, “is being recognized as a surrounding community,” a designation that would entitle Revere to compensation for things like increases in crime or traffic.

Former Mayor Dan Rizzo opted to not pursue that designation when he signed an exclusivity deal for the city to be the host community of Mohegan Sun at Suffolk Downs, which ultimately lost the sole Greater Boston casino license in 2014 to Wynn Resorts.

The Casino Advisory Commission will begin tracking data including:

Impact on Revere’s hospitality industry, including occupancy and room rates and any employment losses; and

Arrigo also asked Revere residents and merchants to report their own observations to Revere 311, where all casino-related calls will be categorized and tracked.

“I think we’ll see a lot of pawn shops opening. Maybe crime will go up,” said Anthony D’Alelio, owner of the Brewin Cafe on Broadway. “But you can’t prove anything without data.”

Because the casino will be allowed to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. to active gamblers on the gaming floor, what D’Alelio wonders most is whether he’ll be hit by a drunken driver one day as he drives to work at 5:30 a.m.

“We’re all kind of nervous about what’s going to happen when the casino opens,” said Marie Alessi, who has lived in Revere nearly half of her 75 years. “We have plenty of traffic already. If we’re going to have to spend more money, we definitely should be compensated for it.”

Last year, the Gaming Commission awarded Revere and Saugus $275,000 for preliminary traffic designs for a Route 1 improvement project in anticipation of Encore Boston Harbor traffic, and $150,000 for a shared transportation planner to help the two communities plan to address casino-related transportation issues.

“I think we’ll see a lot of pawn shops opening. Maybe crime will go up,” said Anthony D’Alelio, owner of the Brewin Café on Broadway. “But you can’t prove anything without data.”

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/06/20/revere-commission-keeping-tabs-on-encores-impact-on-city/