Although he once said that he wasn’t spending another dime to accommodate Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, casino mogul Steve Wynn is apparently willing to spring for a lunch with the mayor to talk over their difficulties with Wynn’s billion Wynn Boston Harbor that he wants to build in Everett, Massachusetts along the Mystic River.
That was Wynn’s response last week after a speech he made to Boston College’s Chief Executives Club to an audience of about 300 when reporters asked if he would meet with Curtatone, who is in the midst of an appeal to stop Wynn’s casino from being granted an environmental permit to begin building along the waterfront.
Wynn said, “Sure. And I will. Not would. I shall. How can I not? They’re neighbors, and you want to have — if you’ve got your head screwed on straight — a good cordial relationship with everybody, especially if it’s where your employees live. I think that’s a natural, wonderful thing to do.”
Earlier this year a spokesman for Wynn said that a face to face with the mayor was unlikely to happen. However, since February the groundbreaking for the project has been delayed, and, last week, Wynn said that the casino resort wouldn’t open until the spring of 2019. That’s projecting 34 months for construction.
The lunch won’t happen right away, however. “By Labor Day, I’ll be open, and I’m going to spend more time in New England this fall,” said Wynn, when asked to commit to a time.
So far the mayor’s office says it hasn’t gotten a phone call from Wynn’s office.
Despite his willingness to dine with Curtatone, Wynn has previously said he doesn’t consider the appeal much of a threat. “We don’t rate this as a terrible threat or a major obstacle,” he told reporters.
Although the groundbreaking still hasn’t happened yet, Wynn said he has so far spent $250 million on the project, with Suffolk Construction hired to build. The project is expected to generate 4,000 union jobs.
The developer has been able to nearly complete clean up work on hazardous materials left behind by more than a hundred years of chemical plants, the most recent being Monsanto.
A decision on the appeal is expected later this summer. Wynn and Somerville have until June 21 to submit their final briefs. The judge could deny the appeal, modify the license or throw it out entirely. Whatever the decision, it is subject to review by Martin Suuberg, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
MGM Springfield
MGM Springfield has announced that it will not make a bid to manage CityStage, which is a few blocks from where the MGM Springfield casino is rising.
Springfield Performing Arts Development, which operates Symphony Hall, plans to submit a bid to operate the facility, which is owned by the Springfield Parking Authority.
