Economic boom or bust?
Shell game or real benefit?
Commonwealth Magazine has a great article that takes a look at Governor Patrick’s proposal to create three resort casinos(notice how they’re never casino resorts?) in Massachusetts. It seems a pretty balanced report and gives equal time to the proposed benefits and projected negatives.
One of the negatives that I’ve talked about on many occasions is the effect a large mega-casino will have on existing businesses in the region. The pro-casino people claim it will be an “economic engine” while I maintain that there is only so much discretionary cash available to most people – and any money spent at the casino will come at the expense of existing businesses. The article observes:
You’re being unfair to the poor casinos
So what’s the big deal? Any new restaurant, store, water park etc is in competition with money that’s being spent elsewhere in the economy. Why am I singling out casino resorts?
The problem is not with the high-end handbag store that’s at the casino. It’s the casino that’s at the casino. Casinos are currently illegal and are unlike any other business due to the costly social problems that come with them. To add insult to injury, the handbag store at the Indian casino pays no local or state taxes and thus has an unfair competitive advantage to the handbag store in Cobblers Row …. if there was a handbag store in Cobblers Row.
WOW! To compare a Casino Resort store to lets say, Ahh! Let me think! I have to ask? Where does one buy a pocketbook in Middleboro. LOL!
I really thought about this I just don’t know.
Can you tell me.
On another note Casino Resorts, If you have ever been in one of those stores, My God the prices are high 7-800 dollars for a pocketbook Prada, Gucci etc! Jimmy Chu shoes Oh my God $$$ LOL! Ahh! I am a fashion whiz, The girls will be impressed, I make so much money those are the only brand names I would shop for..
I don’t think people will be flocking to the resort to shop.
If the state legalizes class 3 casinos and the Wampanoags do not bid on one but they get the land into trust then they would also have an unfair advantage against the 3 casinos that have to pay taxes and such to the state. Which would also lower the casino money going to beacon hill.
Scott
How come my pocket book response didnt make it up?
My mistake – it’s up now. I missed the comment notification mail.
mr, limo,
Check out the forest behind those trees.
You’re picking on the analogy and missing the point.
1. There is X amount of entertainment dollars for spending in the regional economy
2. The casino will suck Y amount out of the regional economy
3. We will lose Z amount of dollars in the tax free Indian casino
4. Any analysis of the casinos’ economic benefit is incomplete without factoring in those costs as well as the costs for social problems related to gambling
X + Y – Z = Bad news for our economy as well as our quality of life
Mr Limo,
Did you ever hear of window shopping? Your married so you must know us girls LOVE to window shop at pricy stores — then we do what real women do, we go to the outlet stores or wait for the big sale at Macy’s to get those same designer names at affordable prices.
The point is…yes, the pocketbooks are expensive and beautiful and the pricy stores with designer labels are part of the lure to get you to “try your luck”…you might win it big and be able to go get that purse!
Me, I’ll wait for the big one day Macy’s sale….I have a coupon for an extra 20% off my purchase.
mrlimo08:
I’ve been to the casinos in CT. They’re a blight on the landscape. Very honky tonk.
Jenn,
It is a fact that the term “honky” was, as a term for whites, derived from bohunk and hunky. In the early 1900′s, these were derogatory terms for Bohemian, Hungarian, and Polish immigrants.
Tonk was a kind of Piano.
When you put Honky Tonk together it was a place where whites used to go, drink and dance some could take it the wrong way.
I don’t see Foxwoods as a Honky Tonk.
Carver Chic,
If you put the A X B X C = formula there are people saying its good for the economy.
Its where it meets, On the average out scale.
As for waiting for discounts Naww! We have 2 little kids, Today we go to those french stores for all our luxury shopping.
Tarjet! and Marshelles.