Plainridge Casino Numbers Hold Strong in Second Month of Operation

The August numbers for the state’s first casino, Plainridge Park Casino, arrived last week and showed a steady haul of revenues – just slightly down from the first month of operations.

In August, Plainridge generated $15.228 million in gross gaming revenues, which is the money left over after all the payouts have been made. That was down from the casino’s first month of operations where it took in $18.155 million.

A decline was expected given the wearing off of the newness, but the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) indicated it believed the second month numbers to be a strong showing.

The numbers allowed the MGC to continue forecasting that Plainridge would generate about $200 million in gross gaming revenues for its first year of operations and $98 million in revenues for the state.

In August alone, the state taxes and racehorse assessments were $7.461 million. The breakdown of that was that $6.09 million went to local aid and $1.37 million into the racehorse development fund.

To date, the state has collected $19.365 million in state taxes and racehorse assessments from Plainridge since it opened on June 24.

Revenues will continue to be posted by the MGC on a monthly basis, with the previous month’s numbers becoming available on the MGC website on the 15th of each month.

In other casino news:

In the Region C casino district, which encompasses the Cape and the South Shore, there have been a lot of starts and stops in the process. The license has still not been awarded and there have been many application deadlines and subsequent extensions.

There has also been a lot of uncertainty regarding a possible Tribal casino in the region, though that issue has been on hold for some time.

That is, until last Friday afternoon when the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s land trust application. That gives the Tribe the go-ahead to build a casino on land in Taunton.

On Monday, the City of Taunton and the Tribe announced $30 million in infrastructure improvements planned for Taunton in relation to the First Light Tribal Casino.

In establishing sovereign tribal lands for the Mashpee Wampanoag, the Interior Department will transfer approximately 151 acres of land in the City of Taunton and 170 acres of land in the Town of Mashpee and to be held in federal trust for the benefit the Tribe.

As detailed in the land-into-trust application, the Interior Department’s favorable finding will allow the Mashpee Wampanoag to rebuild its land base and pursue opportunities for economic development and self-government, including but not limited to, the tribal government’s mission to house, educate, and otherwise provide for its members well-being.

The Tribe has said it expects to break ground on the casino next spring, at the same time that Wynn Everett hopes to break ground.

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