Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Casino hosts and designated surrounding communities will have opportunities to negotiate with developers and the Gaming Commission to develop siting criteria and to create programs that will benefit communities.
This and the mission of the newly formed Gaming Commission were discussed by commission member James McHugh, a former Massachusetts Appeals Court judge, at the Massachusetts Selectmen Association’s Leadership Conference on June 9 in Sutton.
The state’s expanded gaming law, passed late last year, permits up to three casinos and one slot parlor in Massachusetts.
McHugh, one of five gaming commissioners, said each member brings his or her extensive public and private experience to the panel. Their job is to implement the lengthy and complex gaming legislation, which, he said, is the best such law in the country.
He identified the commission’s goals: maximizing economic development in the state, minimizing the negative consequences of casinos and slot machines, making sure there is an adequate return for the establishments, and engendering the confidence of communities.
The commission, he said, is open to discussions with cities and towns to develop specific criteria for licenses that would benefit the communities. Funding and casino revenue that supports programs like education and tourism could be among the criteria.
Some community colleges have banded together and are planning to create programs that train casino workers, he said.
Host and surrounding communities must enter an agreement with the casino developer. If one can’t be reached, the commission has the ability to step in and help. This opens the process for ample community input and allows the commission to work with cities and towns, McHugh said.
“We can’t succeed in this endeavor by ourselves”, he said. “We need your help and ideas.”
The commission held several public meetings in June and launched its Twitter feed, Facebook page, and YouTube page in order to encourage citizen engagement. More initiatives are in the works, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission website.