A big-money casino and a grass-roots movement have entered full campaign mode in the days leading up to Tuesday's referendum in Springfield when residents vote on the $850 million casino proposed by MGM Resorts.
Both opponents and supporters of the casino proposal said they planned to be at the polls Tuesday, drumming up support for their cause.
"We've been working really hard for many, many months," said Mike Mathis, vice president of Global Gaming Development for MGM.
"There's much more support than we even expected to see," said Peter Swarr, one of the leaders of Citizens Against Casino Gaming, a local anti-casino group. "Our goal is to say Springfield is not sold on this."
Springfield election commissioner Gladys Oyola said she expects voter turnout to exceed that of the U.S. Senate special election last month. Everett voter turnout was 50 percent higher for the casino vote than the June 25 Senate race, just three days apart.
The months leading up to the vote have been marked by a massive spending gap between supporters and opponents of the casino. MGM has given nearly $1 million in the past month and a half in donations and in-kind contributions to Yes For Springfield, a pro-casino group, according to a campaign finance report. Yes for Springfield spent more than $800,000 in advertising and canvassing. MGM also brought in rap star Pitbull to perform at the MassMutual Center for another $173,000 in May.
Citizens Against Casino Gaming listed in-kind contributions worth just over $2,500 for bumper stickers, yard signs and printing since Jan. 1. The only other expenses listed are bank maintenance fees.
"It's like David and Goliath," Swarr said.
Voters will cast their ballots for or against a Host Community Agreement agreed upon by the City Council and MGM. The agreement lays out the terms of the project, including size and annual payments to the city. The agreement calls for an anticipated annual payment greater than $25 million, 2,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs, 90 percent of which must be from the Springfield area.
If the referendum is approved, MGM's proposal will be evaluated by the state Gaming Commission based on criteria including revenue projections, positive impact on the state and local benefit.
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