A new Suffolk University poll focused on Gov. Charlie Baker has also revealed that 46 percent of those surveyed support Encore Boston Harbor despite the allegations of sexual misconduct against former CEO Steve Wynn.
The poll came out on Thursday, June 14, and was focused on likely Massachusetts voters in the upcoming Congressional midterm elections. Most of the questions revolved around the job that Gov. Baker is doing, along with questions about Sen. Elizabeth Warren and some other issues.
Stuck in the middle of those 37 questions in the survey were two big ones about Encore Boston Harbor and former Wynn CEO Steve Wynn.
Some 70 percent said that workplace sexual harassment and misconduct was a very important issue to them. Another 79 percent indicated that they were aware of the sexual misconduct allegations leveled against Steve Wynn.
Despite that, 46 percent (230 respondents) said they believed Wynn Resorts should continue to be the builder and operator of the Everett casino.
Another 38 percent said Wynn Resorts should not be the developer, while 15 percent were undecided.
Most of those surveyed were from the northeast and southeast/Cape Cod portions of the state (67 percent), with only 8 percent coming from Suffolk County. Some 48 percent were male and 52 percent were female, with 81 percent of them white.
- Former owner of Encore site files lawsuit
Attorneys for Anthony Gattineri have filed a lawsuit in Boston Federal Court against Wynn Resorts and Encore Boston Harbor over the last week seeking payment for an alleged secret land deal that he made with former CEO Steve Wynn and Encore President Bob DeSalvio.
Gattineri alleges that he was promised $18 million on the sly to “make him whole” after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) ordered that the sale price be slashed from $75 million to $35 million due to a convicted felon allegedly being involved as a partner in the land ownership.
Gattineri refused to sign the agreement for the sale of the property, alleging that the price was too low and wasn’t market rate.
He alleges that Wynn officials had a private meeting with him and agreed to “make him whole” on the deal by paying him $18 million in secret, a payment that would be shielded from the MGC.
He says since that time, the company has refused to make good on the alleged deal.
Encore Boston Harbor issued a statement saying the claim is without merit.
“This is an attempt to now extract an additional multi-million-dollar payment from our company beyond what was negotiated and accepted by Mr. Gattineri and his partners in the Everett land transaction,” said Encore Spokesman Greg John. “Mr. Gattineri’s claim that a publicly-traded company in a highly-regulated industry would execute a $20 million transaction on a handshake deal, without any documentation or paperwork, is implausible and will be vigorously defended by Wynn.”