The Massachusetts Gaming Commission today unanimously denied a request by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh to delay awarding the coveted Greater Boston casino license until after Bay Staters have a chance to vote on a possible repeal of the gaming law in November.
Eugene O’Flaherty, the city’s corporation counsel, argued that if the commission did not grant a stay, Boston would ”suffer irreparable harm” in terms of time and money spent.
“The public interest is served by people having their say,” O’Flaherty added.
A decision by the Supreme Judicial Court last week to put a referendum on casinos on the November ballot.
“They want you to issue a license to influence the November vote,” Tom Frangillo, another lawyer for the city, told the commission.
But representatives from Wynn Resorts, Mohegan Sun and the cities of Everett and Revere, where the casinos want to build, respectively, disagreed. And so did the commission.
“How does more information do irreparable harm (to voters)?” Commissioner Enrique Zuniga asked O’Flaherty.
“It’s putting the cart before the horse,” O’Flaherty said. “The average person I believe would want to see a vote in November before any of these decisions are made.”
In the end, all four commissioners disagreed.
If a license is designated, “it may energize voters,” Commissioner James McHugh said. “I don’t see how it skews them….I think everyone would benefit from knowing what the end game is.”
The commission also unanimously agree to make today the final day for surrounding community negotiations, and to make tomorrow the beginning of arbitration proceedings.