Massachusetts Governor Proceeds with $189K Casino Study Despite Casino Bill Defeat

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is not canceling a $189,000 casino study contract with an internationally known gambling consultant, reports The Standard Times, even though the proposal to bring casino-style gambling to the state, which included verbiage to criminalize online poker and Internet gambling, was soundly defeated last week (click here for related article).

Spectrum Gaming Group of New Jersey won the state contract late February and has been working on the analysis for the past month. It was expected to complete the analysis 60 to 90 days after winning the contract.

The Patrick administration brought on the consultant to help sell the casino plan after critics questioned the validity of the governor's estimates on revenue and jobs.

Gov. Patrick had predicted his three-casino plan would raise more than $400 million annually for property tax relief and construction projects and create 20,000 permanent jobs. The administration backtracked on a claim of 30,000 construction jobs this month after the number was questioned by The Boston Globe. The governor testified last week it would create more than 10,000 construction jobs.

Daniel O'Connell, secretary of Housing and Economic Development, replied to questions from The Standard-Times about the study, remarking that the consultants will finish their study.

"We have been encouraged by our colleagues in the Legislature to obtain a credible and objective analysis of the impact of expanded gambling in the commonwealth," said O'Connell. "We believe the outcome of this analysis will prove valuable for future public policy decisions."

Spectrum Gaming has yet to submit a voucher for payment.

The contract did not call for Spectrum Gaming to produce a public report, but the consultant was directed to work with the administration and answer questions from legislators. While Spectrum Gaming has met with lawmakers, it was not an active participant in last week's public hearing on the casino bill.

CONTRACT BEING CHALLENGED

The decision to continue the contract after last Thursday's 108-46 House defeat of casinos raised some eyebrows. Especially since the proposal cannot be raised again until at least next January following a debate by the state legislature.

One legislative leader was quoted in the Boston Globe as saying that the study will be stale by the time the issue reaches the Legislature in its next session, which begins in January, and he recommends that the contract be terminated to save money.

"The administration should pay the consultants for the time already put into the study and be done with it," said state Representative Daniel E. Bosley, co-chairman of the committee that made a negative recommendation on the casino plan last week.

"If the governor files his casino bill again next year, the study will be almost a year old at that time," Bosley added.

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