Suffolk Downs is theme of Dec. 3 Chamber talk

REVERE-Chamber of Commerce members hope two major figures in the debate over expanding gambling in Massachusetts can shed some light Dec. 3 on Suffolk Downs’ future.Suffolk Chief Operating Officer Chip Tuttle and state Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein will address the Chamber at Casa Lucia, the former Italian American club on Lucia Avenue, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.Reinstein is a long-time supporter of bringing slot machines to local racetracks who thinks gambling revenue can supplement the state and local tax dollars city government relies on. The debate over slots, as well as bringing casino gambling to Massachusetts is set for legislative debate next year even as candidates for top state election positions, including governor, intensify their campaigns.Suffolk and Wonderland Greyhound Park forged an agreement last year to jointly explore future business opportunities, including the possibility of attracting a casino. Live racing ended this year at Wonderland, all but burying the dog track’s three-quarter century legacy as a local economic powerhouse.State lawmakers are poised to float a lifeline to the Wonderland and Raynham dog tracks in the form of an extension of their off-track betting rights. The move would create a new wagering environment in Massachusetts as policy makers ponder whether to permit casinos.The legislation would essentially allow the tracks to operate as off-track betting parlors, venues that do not feature live racing due to the ban on dog racing that takes effect Jan. 1, but instead allow patrons to wager on events broadcast from other tracks around the country.The Economic Development Committee approved legislation to enable the two tracks to keep their doors open, despite the scheduled expiration of simulcasting licenses in December, until July 31 of next year, the final day of formal legislative sessions in the two-year cycle.The tracks have been stung by a voter-approved ban on dog racing. Supporters say the legislation will preserve 1,300 jobs at both tracks but there were concerns that permitting Raynham and Wonderland to host gambling could raise questions of fairness, prompting other businesses, which currently are limited to Lottery games, to ask why some merchants are sanctioned and others not.