Mohegan Sun offers $850G to Saugus for proposed Revere casino impact

SAUGUS – A Revere casino could mean financial aid for Saugus.Town Manager Scott Crabtree announced at a public Economic Development Committee meeting Monday that operators of the proposed Mohegan Sun casino at Suffolk Downs have offered to give $850,000 to aid the town in dealing with potential impact of the casino, in addition to assistance with addiction services and job creation.Crabtree had previously cited increased traffic, a dip in restaurant business and problems with gambling addiction as a few potential effects from a Revere-based casino. The state gambling commission is expected to decide later this year whether to award the sole eastern Massachusetts casino license to either the Suffolk project or another proposal by gambling mogul Steve Wynn in Everett.Crabtree said when making a case to Mohegan Sun representatives on the casino?s impact for Saugus, “We did the best we could to represent the community.”Looking forward, said Crabtree, the town would need to focus on “generating revenue” in order to minimize the casino?s impact on their own.Monday?s committee meeting, held at Town Hall, invited residents to share their “vision” for the future of Route 1. Many of the 30 who attended were concerned over what the casino would mean for traffic along the highway.Town Meeting member Christopher Finn said the town would have to learn how to “balance impact with opportunity.”