The Mohegan Sun, which unsuccessfully vied for the Boston metro casino license four years ago, May 28 petitioned a Superior Court judge to overturn the license that was awarded to Wynn Resorts in light of recent revelations about Steve Wynn that forced him to step down as chief executive officer of the company he founded and divest himself of all its stock.
The tribe claims the Massachusetts Gaming Commission failed to properly vet the company and didn’t discover multiple allegations of sexual impropriety against Wynn, including a $7.5 million settlement with a massage therapist who claimed he tried to rape her.
“The Gaming Commission’s failure to uncover the allegations of Steve Wynn’s reprehensible conduct and the lack of corporate controls in its initial investigation of Wynn Resorts is another example of the bias and flaws in the Commission’s approach to the Region A licensing decision,” said the tribe’s attorney in a statement.
This complaint was the latest in the long court challenge the Connecticut-based tribe mounted to the awarding of the license. The complaint notes that multiple sources existed that might have uncovered Wynn’s sexual misconduct and treatment of his employees. “Despite this poorly-kept secret, nowhere in the IEB’s report on Wynn’s suitability is there any indication that the issue of sexual harassment was investigated, even superficially,” says the filing.
It alleges that Wynn’s conduct was “hiding in plain sight,” and thus calls into question the MGC’s methods, including its bias in favor of Wynn.
The commission answered the amended filing, saying the investigation of Wynn and the company is ongoing. “The Investigations and Enforcement Bureau plans to issue its suitability report to the commission sometime this summer, and the commission will then conduct an adjudicatory hearing,” says the filing.
Meanwhile at Encore Boston Harbor, Boston restaurateurs Frank DePasquale and Nick Varano, will be opening the Fratelli Italian restaurant at the Encore Boston Harbor. The Fratelli (Italian for “brothers) will accommodate 135 diners. The partners have opened and run restaurants for over three decades.
The menu will include brick oven pizza and calzones, homemade pasta, grilled meats and seafood and burgers.
Encore Boston Harbor President Robert DeSalvio commented, “We want our resort to be part of the personality and culture of the region when we open, which is something these two North End icons help us achieve instantly.” He added. “Everyone loves the character and taste of the North End; they bring an authentic and colorful flavor of the North End to our resort.”
The casino will host a dozen other restaurants and bars. The only other that has been announced is Sinatra, a brand that Wynn operates in Las Vegas.
Liquor Hours
The MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor have requested that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) allow them to serve alcohol until 4 a.m., two hours later than other businesses sell the beverages. Local restaurants are opposing the request.
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association argues that this could hurt business for restaurant and tavern owners in the area who are forced to stop serving alcohol at 2 a.m. They already worry about the casinos’ ability to give away food and entertainment to attract players.
Association CEO Bob Luz told the Boston Globe, “If you’re going to do this for them, you’ve got to give surrounding communities the ability to also do. To not do it that way seems completely unfair … I don’t want to give the casinos an advantage.” He notes that the Indian casinos in Connecticut and the Twin River casino in Rhode Island do not serve alcohol after 2 a.m.
No other businesses in the Bay State are allowed to do so either, however last year lawmakers amended the 2011 gaming expansion law to give the MGC the option to grant such a request if it thinks it’s justified.
The MGM Springfield says it won’t serve alcohol later in the bar but would use the option to serve until 4 a.m. on the gaming floor. It also plans to make the drinks complimentary for the most part.
The Springfield City Council’s oversight committee has endorsed the request. It says the region and the casino would both benefit.
Wynn Resorts, which is scheduled to open the $2.5 billion Encore Boston Harbor next year, would also only serve players on the casino floor late drinks. Cosmopolitan travelers expect such service when they travel all over the world, says the company.
Robert DeSalvio, the president of the Boston-area casino, added, “In order to be globally competitive and maintain our commitment to deliver an enjoyable stay for guests, we support extended cocktail service in the highly controlled environment of the casino floor.”
