Earlier this month, the governor said casinos were not a high priority.
Deval L. PatrickBOSTON - Gov. Deval L. Patrick shifted his position on casinos Thnursday, saying that casinos will likely be approved and renewing his offer to support one slot license for race tracks.
"I think it will," Patrick said when asked if expanded gambling would be approved. "It’s really important to the speaker, and the jobs and revenue are really important to us as a Commonwealth.”
Patrick made the comments on WTKK-FM in Boston, which does not reach Western Massachusetts. Patrick makes a regular monthly appearance on the radio show to take questions from listeners.
Earlier this month, when he signed the state budget for the new fiscal year, Patrick told reporters that casinos were not a high priority for him. "Gaming is not at the top of my list," he said in early July.
He has also talked in the past about how casinos suck "all the oxygen" out of the Statehouse.
Patrick said he is willing to compromise to reach a casino deal with House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray.
"If it helps get a deal, I will accept one slot parlor that is competitively bid anywhere in the commonwealth. I've been clear about that with the leadership, and I think that is the framework for an agreement on those principles," Patrick said.
In response, former two-term Attorney General and casino opponent L. Scott Harshbarger issued a statement today, condemning "secret, ongoing negotiating sessions“ among the governor and legislative leaders. Harshbarger said they are not looking at ways casinos will hurt the state.
"Legislative leaders and the governor need to have this debate in the light of day and must openly address the many issues that have changed since the last true analysis of casino impacts was done - from economic costs and benefits to public safety, law enforcement and regulatory structures," said Harshbarger, founder of the nonprofit educational group Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts. " Ramming through a misguided proposal with little true debate will only worsen public mistrust in state government.”
Murray and DeLeo said the state Legislature plans to take up a casino bill in September after Labor Day.
Patrick rejected a casino bill last year when it included two slot licenses for race tracks. Patrick said the two licenses amounted to no-bid licenses for two tracks in the eastern part of the state.
Patrick sounded hopeful about the fate of casinos this year. Patrick has never wavered in his support for three casino resorts for the state. He is currently holding closed-door meetings on casinos with the speaker and the Senate president.
"We are past the point where there is or is not going to be expanded gaming," Patrick said on the radio show. "We're talking about how."
Two casinos are proposed for Western Massachusetts, one by the Mohegan Sun in Palmer and another by a group called Paper City Development in Holyoke.
Material from the Statehouse News Service was used in this report.