Massachusetts Casino Industry Might Debut Without Any Las Vegas-Based GiantsCaesars Already Has Backed Out, As Wynn Could Soon Follow |
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The state of Massachusetts, which authorized a few Las Vegas-style casinos in 2011, is still in the midst of the process of picking the companies who can build.
Massachusetts has been a coveted prize for some of the biggest casino firms in the world, those which operate out of the U.S. gambling hub Las Vegas. However, due to some unexpected regulatory developments, the state might venture into the industry without any of the giants, according to reporting from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
It was widely publicized that Caesars dropped its efforts for a $1 billion casino in Boston, and now Wynn Resorts reportedly could back out of its $1.3 billion plan in the neighboring town of Everett. Steve Wynn reportedly believes the regulatory process to be too ridiculous.
The third Las Vegas behemoth, MGM Resorts, is looking to build in the town of Springfield, but now there are questions about whether MGM would have any trouble with licensing.
The whole situation stems from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission being — what some would say overly — concerned with any connection the casino firms have to unsavory individuals, no matter where in the world that alleged seediness took place.
In the case of Caesars, regulators were concerned about an investor in a firm that Caesars just had a marketing deal with for a Las Vegas property possibly being involved with the Russian mafia.
The drama in Massachusetts should continue for the foreseeable future, as regulators and casino owners try to figure out what is going on. Such casinos, whoever gets the right to build them, aren’t expected to hit the state until 2016 or 2017, if all goes as planned.
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