mayor alex morse remarks on casino proposal, nov. 26, 2012

7/30/2019 Mayor Alex Morse Remarks on Casino Proposal, Nov. 26, 2012

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The proposal Mr. Suher and I have discussed will take advantage of some of what

only Holyoke has to offer, while helping to reinvigorate our downtown and bring

economic relief to Holyoke. Furthermore, the proposal would enhance the services

provided by the existing concert venue at Mountain Park, the Whiting Street

Reservoir, the Mount Tom State Reservation, two of the citys golf courses, and our

downtown.

In other words, this plan does not merely put its faith in some easily discredited

notion that a casino will rescue our city from economic hardship. This plan goes

beyond its gaming component. And with its inclusion of a 350-room hotel, a

convention facility, an indoor/outdoor amphitheater, and dining options, it has the

potential to expand Holyoke as a destination site for people visiting our region. The

proposed resort would focus on outdoor recreation and eco-tourism, and would

take advantage of the underutilized state reservations and open spaces.

Simply put, this plan has thepotentialto forge an outcome that is better than the

status quo. What I am conveying today is a set of possibilities I am persuaded mayresult from our negotiating, and that would be in the best interest of our city and the

region. While I cannot say with certainty what a final plan will look like, I can say

that any plan must account for traffic issues; I can say that it must aid our urban

revitalization; I can say that it must meet our standards for environmental

sensitivity and stewardship; and I can say that it must address the socioeconomic

impacts of gambling addiction, crime, and related concerns. But above all else, the

final plan would have to take into consideration input from the public.

Let me reemphasize that this project is not the saving grace for all of Holyokes

needs, nor will it deter us from pursuing our agenda. My administration will

continue to be proactive on our economic development strategy, which haspromoted urban revitalization, innovation, and the creative economy, particularly in

the Center City.I am not changing my administrations priorities, but rather shiftingstrategies on how to deal with the maladies of gaming and the reality that one such

destination will be in our region, and will very likely be at our doorstep even if we

do nothing.

In Holyoke, we still have multiple factors in our favor to compete in what is a global

economy. Our location allows us to serve two of the largest markets in the nation in

Boston and New York City. We have a world-class fiber-optic communications

infrastructure. At a time when our nation is striving for a renewed era of

manufacturing, we have a solid manufacturing base and the cheap, green energysources that attract industry. And we are surrounded by dozens of institutions of

higher education that serve more than 100,000 college students, and that each year

churn out thousands of graduates who become productive members of the new

knowledge-based economy.

We have the tools to foster a vibrant entrepreneurial environment. Already, my

administration has made great strides in supporting our citys extraordinary arts


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community, with the appointment of a new creative economy coordinator. None of

this has changed with my pivot in strategy.

The innovators and entrepreneurs Holyoke needs to attract do not want to live and

work in gutted shells of cities; they want to invest and live in vibrant communities

that allow businesses to flourish. We just recently cut the ribbon on theMassachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center and are leveraging that

investment and the partners involved through the Innovation District Task Force, a

cooperative body whose work has been characterized by state Housing and

Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki as the best in the entire

Commonwealth.

We will continue to attract job creators and jobs in productive industries, support

our budding creative community, and guide the biggest investors to our city.

Furthermore, we want to encourage industries that will make Holyoke a place to

which our young people want to return. And I have also come to understand that

while many of the jobs that this development would yield would be for low-skilledworkers, a significant a segment of our city and region are more likely to be

employed first in these jobs, in order to build their careers over time.

In the coming days, we will announce the specific dates and arrangements for the

facilitation of community input. The deadline for developers to submit their

application fee is January 15. If a developer submits an application for a casino in

Holyoke, our negotiations will move forward. But let me be clear: if we fail to reach

an agreement that meets the criteria I have outlined, no deal will be signed.

Please know that I hear your voices and share your concerns. And please

understand that I am moving forward in this way only because I am absolutelyconvinced that it is the right thing to do. I cannot accept an outcome that lets a

detrimental casino plan to be placed at our doorstep without the people of Holyoke

having recourse for mitigation. We have an opportunity to shape our regions

economic future in a way that will support our broader economic goals. We have an

opportunity to negotiate a plan that takes advantage of what Holyoke uniquely has

to offer. And once that agreement is negotiated, we will all have an opportunity to

vote it up or down in a city-wide election.

I understand and sympathize with the firmly anti-casino stance of many of my core

supporters. I ran for mayor because I wanted our city to dream bigger. As a

candidate, and to this day, I have believed that we can and indeed must do betterthan a casino. But we cannot pretend that our city boundaries will protect our local

businesses and neighborhoods from the effects of a casino in our region.

No doubt, this move will be the source of lively debate. Such debate is a testament to

the strength of our democratic process in Holyoke. And while I cannot promise the

citizens of Holyoke that we will always see eye-to-eye, I can promise that I share

your passion for this city. I can promise that I, like you, want what is best for this


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city. And I can promise that, with your help, we can use this opportunity to shape

our citys and our regions future in a way that is consistent with our better history,

our highest ideals, and our shared hopes.

Thank you. I am now happy to take any questions directed to me only.

mayor alex morse remarks on casino proposal, nov. 26, 2012

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