Plainridge Slots Study in Plainville's Hands for Studying

Plainville town administrator Joseph Fernandes said the process is moving along for the potential slot machine palor at Plainridge Racecourse.

Fernandes said the consulting firm, Cummings Associates, of Arlington released their report on the possible impacts of the proposed slot machine complex at Plainridge could have. He said, right now, the town is looking over the report and is currently formulating a community impact plan to mitigate the impact of the facility.

The two impacts the town is looking at are traffic and the increase in problem gambling in Plainville’s population.

“There is a concensous that there will be an increase in problem gambling,” he said. “It’s nothing that would insurmountable. It’s understandable that there will be a rise in problem gambling, and the [state’s gaming] legislation has programs to deal with it.”

Fernandes said regardless, after the plan has been negotiated, the town will have 60 days to go over it and then vote on it.

“If they vote it up, the the application is forwarded to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and then they act on it,” he said. “If it’s voted down, then it’s over.”

Fernandes added though he feels an increase in people with gambling problems is by no means a good thing, the benefits to the community are not to be dismissed.

“I’m not dismissing the impact of problem gambling, but I think it may be outweighed by the terms of an increased tax base, employment and whatever we negotiate in the host community agreement,” he said.

Fernandes said the host community agreement is designed to add worth to the town and not just mitigate the impacts of the slot facility.

“It doesn’t do us any real good just to mitigate impacts under those circumstances,” he said. “There’s no improvement to the town. What’s in it for the town of Plainville?”

The host community agreement, like the one Cummings and Associates negotiated with the town of Everett, would help to mitigate the problems caused by traffic and problem gambling, but also add an annual payment to the town.

“But we don’t yet know what that agreement is going to be,” he said.

Fernandes said the problem of traffic would not be such an impact on Plainville itself, since the facility is much closer to Route 495 than anything else.

“We would identify impacted locations,” he said. “For example, they may pay for a $200,000 traffic signal at the intersection of Route 1 and George Street.”

Fernandes said Plainridge would also negotiate a payment for gambling addiction treatment based on projections of how many residents are likely to be afflicted.

“The board of selectmen would negotiate an agreement with Plainridge and let us break down the number of people in Plainville likely to be afflicted with problem gambling,” he said. “Plainridge would agree to set aside funds to pay for treatment for those afflicted in Plainville."

The complete report is on the town's website and the link is available here. 

(The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is going to host a forum on the slot machine license, June 4, for town residents and anyone interested from the surrounding area at the Plainville Senior Center at 7 p.m.)