Casino seen as big boost to economy

REVERE – Several Revere city officials and residents expressed excitement now that the long-hoped for passage of expanded gambling – which could lead to the building of a casino or the operation of slot machines at Suffolk Downs – seems to be coming to fruition.?It has been a long time coming now,” City Councilor at large John Correggio said. “Now, its finally turning into a reality.”Many residents and city officials interviewed recently believe that opening a casino in Revere will bring much needed jobs to the city and to the state.?It could create a lot of jobs and put people back to work,” Revere resident Jim Downer said. “There will have to be carpenters to build the place and people to run the casino. A lot of jobs would be created.”Randall Guillaume also agrees that a casino at the Suffolk Downs race track could bring jobs to the city.?I?m pro-jobs, especially in this economy,” Guillaume said.The Malden resident who visited Broadway Street Thursday afternoon to eat lunch said he?s an avid gambler.He is a frequent visitor to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun too.?I like to go to Vegas when I get a chance to,” Guillaume said. “I think a casino would make people stay around here for a change.”The prospect of revenue coming into the state instead of going to Connecticut has people excited.?It would definitely be more fun around here,” Michelle Holmes said while on Broadway Thursday. “We wouldn?t have to drive as far.”City officials are excited about the possibility that passage of expanded gambling could help Revere.?I look forward to it,” City Councilor at large George Rotondo said. “I think it will be a catalyst for development in the community.”Others are astonished at how long the process has taken.?It?s been long? overdue,” said City Ward 1 Councilor Richard Penta. “I thought they would have passed this two years ago.”The state House of Representatives approved a bill last week that calls for bidders to compete for three regional casino licenses and one license to run a slot machine venue, a proposal supporters say will launch a new industry with thousands of jobs.Under a timetable laid out by an aide to Senate President Therese Murray, the bill is expected to clear the Senate Ways and Means Committee in a few days, upon which time the Senate must wait 10 days to take the legislation up, under a special order adopted earlier this year. Murray spokesman David Falcone said he expected the full Senate to take the bill up near the end of September.Once a gambling bill clears the Senate, as is expected by most analysts, a House-Senate conference committee will likely be named and may take as much time as it needs to agree upon a single bill and put it before the branches for up-or-down votes. Correggio believes the building of a casino in Revere at Suffolk Downs could bring much needed money to the city.?There will be money available for public safety and education that there never was before,” Correggio said. “There will be a lot of jobs created and a lot of union jobs too. I am 100 percent for union jobs.”Rotondo has called for forming a city Mitigation Committee now that it looks more likely that expanded gambling will be passed.?We need to look at the human side of the issue. We need to know what the traffic is going to be like and what the access to Revere will be. We have to mitigate and widen highways,” Rotondo said.But Correggio doesn?t believe that a mitigation committee is needed.?When anyone comes before the council, it goes straight to a subcommittee and that would work just fine,” Correggio said.However, he does acknowledge the opening of a casino at Suffolk Downs could lead to major changes in the city.?There will be major construction needed on the roads,” Correggio said. “That has been needed for a long time now anyways.”Rotondo would also like for a nursing station to be set up somewhere in the casino if one is ultimately built in Revere.?When you get that many people together, somebody is going to get hurt,” Rotondo