Keller @ Large: Plainridge Park To Bring Answers In Casino Debate
BOSTON (CBS) - Today, we start finding out who's right – those who claimed that allowing casino-style gambling in Massachusetts would provide economic benefits in excess of the human damage it causes, or those who argued it was a greed-crazed dive down a slippery slope of misery and economic failure.
The Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville will open to the public, and I'm sure the novelty of it will draw crowds for the time being. I expect to be covering opening day for Wednesday evening's news, and while regular readers here know I've been skeptical of all the gaudy promises, I promise to bring an open mind.
There is no question that the new slots parlor has already generated some good things, including hundreds of construction jobs.
Casino officials say they got more than 4,000 applicants for the 500 full- and part-time jobs there.
And there's also no doubt this facility will keep some of the billions of dollars in spending by Massachusetts residents on gambling from travelling over the border to Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Jobs and consumer spending are crucial elements of our economy, and this is nothing to sneeze at.
But hold the champagne on the longer-term benefits and outlook for Plainridge.
The Rhode Island and Connecticut casinos are close by and they're not going to sit around while we eat their lunch.
Will Plainridge be a magnet for customers who can afford to lose their money and a draw from those neighboring states, or a home-grown dairy that merely milks the locals and is outstripped by places with more entertainment variety?
I hear they'll have showgirls at today's grand opening. That's nice.
The question is, will Plainridge be a workhorse for our economy, or a slaughterhouse for all those glittering casino promises?
Listen to Jon's commentary:
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
