March Political Roundtable Focuses on Destination Resort Casinos: Benefits to the Commonwealth, Visions of the Gaming Industry

Over 60 labor activists and labor leaders from every sector of the Labor Movement, legislative aides from the U.S. Congress and legislative aides from the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies gathered on March 19th to hear from experts about the benefits and plans for one of the biggest legislative issues of 2009: Destination Resort Casinos. Speakers and other special guests included representatives from Mohegan Sun, Suffolk Downs and the Massachusetts Coalition for Jobs and Growth, as well as University of Massachusetts Boston faculty to present findings on a report done by the university. Click here to see pictures.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes gave opening remarks on why the Massachusetts Labor Movement has been so vehemently supportive of bringing destination resort casinos to the Commonwealth: tens of thousands of direly needed family-sustaining jobs and substantial direly needed revenue for the state. Massachusetts AFL-CIO Legislative and Communications Director Tim Sullivan then gave a brief overview of the legislation, highlighting how “…last year’s bill was the Governor’s. This year it’s the Mass. AFL-CIO’s bill, HD3954.” Tim went on to briefly describe the legislative landscape on Beacon Hill for this year’s bill, saying how the bill filed by Representative Brian Wallace has 39 sponsors, and how during this legislative session, “we really want to use the hearing process to make our case.”

We then heard from University of Massachusetts Labor Studies Professor Susan Moir about the recent UMass Boston Report “Gaming In Massachusetts: Can Casinos Bring ‘Good Jobs’ to the Commonwealth?” Susan stressed how this study was all about the quality of jobs in the U.S. gaming industry and focused on workers without a college education, since nearly 90% of gaming workers have less than a college degree. This study proved that unions significantly impact job quality in the gaming industry, allowing unionized gaming workers to live a “middle class lifestyle:” own their homes, send their children to college and enjoy secure retirements. This study also looked at gaming legislation in five other states (CT, LA, NV, NJ, NY) and found that there were major differences between Massachusetts plans and what other states are doing. Other states have ignored job quality and other workforce development issues in gaming jobs. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s proposal addresses wages, benefits, training, mentoring, childcare and other areas of worker protection. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s proposal has groundbreaking provisions that could ensure that gaming jobs would be good quality jobs for Massachusetts workers. The report concluded three major things:
1. Unionized resort casinos can provide good jobs for Massachusetts workers stuck in low wage jobs w/o benefits, particularly workers without college degrees (two-thirds of the workforce), women and people of color.
2. Provisions that encourage unionization, good wages and benefits, access to child care, and career ladders must be protected.
3. The Commonwealth needs more policy initiatives that will improve the quality of jobs for the two-thirds of Massachusetts workers with less than a college education.

John Stefanini from the Massachusetts Coalition for Jobs and Growth spoke about his broad based coalition of labor, community groups, business groups and elected officials strongly supporting the licensing of destination resort casinos in the Commonwealth. John emphasized that this is all about creating and saving substantial, immediate and long-term jobs and revenue. He then went into some polling figures demonstrating strong public support, and how it is very rare to see such high polling numbers for any other public policy issue. One poll showed that 80 percent of Massachusetts voters see casino jobs as good for the economy. A second poll showed that 70 percent of Massachusetts voters support expanded gaming in the Commonwealth. John then presented some other interesting and alarming figures regarding revenue coming from Massachusetts being created in other states. Annually, Massachusetts residents spend $709 million in Connecticut, $211 million in Rhode Island and $600 thousand in Maine on gaming. He went on to say that every minute of every day, Massachusetts residents are spending $1,750 in other gaming states. All of that is revenue that could stay in Massachusetts.

The Roundtable next heard from Richard Fields and Jennifer Lendler of Suffolk Downs. Richard Fields stressed how the licensing of a destination resort casino in the Suffolk Downs site would be an immediate major economic boom for the area and entire Commonwealth. He informed the group that Phase One of development, which would commence quickly after licensing, would provide over 2,000 high-quality, permanent jobs in just 120 days, as well as several thousand construction jobs. Richard discussed some of his other success stories in developing similar complexes in other parts of the country, particularly in Hollywood, FL and Tampa Bay, FL. He talked about how he has been so successful in working with labor unions, that he has just started building 100 percent union in Biloxi, Mississippi, a “Right to Work for Less” state. Richard ended by saying, “If you’re going to do it, do it right. The best way to do it right is with you folks.”

Paul Brody, Vice President of Development for Mohegan Sun, shared Mohegan’s vision for a entertainment and gaming complex in Palmer, MA. He highlighted how Mohegan has spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to be completely positive in concluding that Palmer is the premier site in Western Massachusetts to expand gaming, and how much a destination resort casino like the one they would like to build in Palmer would boost the economy of Western Massachusetts. Mohegan would rely on strong relationships with Palmer and the surrounding communities – including elected leaders, public safety officials and non-profit organizations. In addition to providing thousands of permanent jobs for residents of Western Massachusetts, they would use Project Labor Agreements, and give a firm commitment to “Buying Local.” Their “Buying Local” commitment has been tremendous for Connecticut as the purchase of goods and services by Mohegan Sun from Connecticut businesses translates into another 10,000 – 14,000 jobs statewide, and in 2006 Mohegan Sun spent over $250 million with more than 1,500 vendors in Connecticut. Western Massachusetts needs that kind of investment.

The guest speakers then addressed remarks during a spirited Question and Answer session. Members of the Roundtable were particularly strong in applauding these developers in their strong union values and records in their other facilities.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes gave concluding remarks, saying how “we are here engaging private enterprise” for labor’s benefit, and that is why it was specifically closed to the press, because labor understands more than they do how desperately the Commonwealth needs these new jobs and these revenues. President Haynes urged people to sign up for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO’s Gompers-Murray-Meany Conference being held in May, which will focus on new economic industries and opportunities; specifically gaming, green jobs, movie studios, and other emerging sectors.

Click here to see pictures of March’s Political Roundtable. Next month’s COPE Political Roundtable will be held on Thursday April 16th and will be focusing on the developing “green economy.” Please stay tuned for more details.