Residents will have an opportunity to offer their thoughts about Encore Boston Harbor Resort’s proposed expansion to a Broadway parcel of land at a Massachusetts Gaming Commission public hearing set for Tuesday, April 25, at 6 p.m. in the Everett City Council Chambers.
Mayor Carlo DeMaria, whose incredible vision brought the $2.6 billion, five-star resort/casino to the city, will lead a delegation of city officials expected to attend the hearing.
Erin Deveney, chief of staff for the Mayor’s Office, said the administration is working to facilitate a live broadcast of the meeting so residents would be able to deliver their remarks remotely.
Deveney said the Mass. Gaming Commission (MGC) has extended an invitation to members of the Encore development team for a brief presentation of the proposed project that would include an entertainment venue (an under-1,000-seat theater), hotels, a new poker room, a parking garage, and a pedestrian bridge that would connect the current resort to the new facility. The new poker room would fall under the MGC’s oversight.
“The meeting is for members of the public to share their opinions on the expansion and new development by Wynn on east of Lower Broadway, which is across the street from the resort where Minichello’s scrapyard used to be located,” said Deveney, noting that Wynn needs additional approvals from the MGC in addition to the standard processes Wynn has to proceed through at the city level.
“Wynn’s vision is meant to add complementary structures to what they already have with the casino,” continued Deveney. “From the city’s perspective, this project will introduce a new revenue source into the community because we would have higher and better uses for tax purposes. We could use those revenues to relieve the burden on our residents and our smaller businesses.”