Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are lobbying for more casinos in Connecticut to keep the state from losing gambling revenue to new competitors in New York and Massachusetts, but already some towns are opting out.
The Windsor Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to pass a resolution that prohibits casinos within the town lines. Councilman Alan Simon introduced the measure, saying a casino wouldn’t fit the character of the town.
“There’s also, I think, sort of an ‘ick’ factor, concern that casinos really prey on desperate people and it’s really not the sort of thing we’d want to have around,” he explained.
It comes as a bill is in the works at the state level to allow new casinos in Connecticut.
Earlier Monday in Hartford, Professor Clyde Barrow, hired by the tribes that own the state’s two existing casinos, released a report revealing the economic impact of planned facilities in New York and Massachusetts. According to Barrow’s report, those competitors could siphon more than 9,000 jobs and $700 million in revenue.
“With a $703 million revenue decline, the two casinos will have to eliminate 5,800 jobs by 2019,” Barrow said.
As many municipalities north of Hartford are being considered as potential sites, Windsor officials made it clear there’s no room for casinos in their town.
