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Foxboro Votes To Not Enter Casino Negotiations With Kraft, Wynn

FOXBORO (CBS) - The Foxboro Board of Selectmen voted 3-2 in favor of a motion not to enter into casino negotiations with the Kraft-Wynn team.

The board will send a letter to the Governor, the Chair of the Casino Commission and Patriot owner Robert Kraft saying Foxboro is not willing to be a host community, and that the Board of Selectmen is not willing to enter into negotiations with Robert Kraft and Steve Wynn.

The vote followed heated debate at the Board of Selectman's meeting tonight.

WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson reports.

The majority of residents who asked to be heard spoke out against a casino. However, many people said they support the idea and many said they were still undecided and want to hear the proposal out.

The meeting had dozens of disruptions. The Chairman of the Board asked the Police Chief to remove one resident, Helen Merigan, who protested a time limit for residents to make their views heard. She was eventually allowed to speak.

"Two Great White Sharks are circling Foxboro," she said. "The town of Foxboro and its people are being attacked by two outsiders, who could care less about what a disaster a resort casino would be for us. "

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports

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The Chairman of the Board also had to reprimand another resident, a physician named David Coleman, after he claimed that a casino will lead to more sexually transmitted diseases.

Town officials say tonight's vote doesn't mean that a casino is off the table in Foxboro. The Kraft-Wynn team can still make a presentation to the town for consideration.

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