Hundreds packed a meeting Tuesday night to weigh in on whether or not putting a new casino in or near Bradley Airport is worth the gamble.
Two proposals were submitted in Windsor Locks, both near Bradley field. One puts the development at Bradley International Airport, while the other puts it at Bobby V’s Sports bar.
Town officials said they would still consider putting it at other sites, but the residents would have to be on board.
"The collectiveness of the town is always stronger than the collectiveness of three members of the board of selectmen," First Selectman Christopher Kervick said.
At the meeting were dozens of construction workers wearing green shirts and supporting the casino they said would be good for the economy.
"Were trying to keep the jobs, the tax dollars and the revenues in Connecticut," Joe Turner, President of the Greater Hartford Building Trades Council said.
Some worry the revenue would have to be spent on ramping up security in order to deal with the crime people believe could come with the casino.
"We’re going to need some money to obviously cover that," Paul Harrington, chairman of the Board of Finance in Windsor Locks said. "Windsor Locks is a small town. We’ve got small town values and we don’t need a casino in this town."
Others argue the crime rates have gone down near the other casinos in Connecticut since opening.
East Hartford, Hartford and Windsor are also vying for the new casino, but negotiations with the tribes have yet to begin. Town leaders in Windsor Locks said if chosen, they will not endorse any plan without bringing it to a referendum.
