Hey, there! Log in / Register
They could call it Caesars at the Airport
By adamg on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 12:48pm
Suffolk Downs has put up renderings and justifications for its proposed $1-billion resort hotel which, to the untrained eye, looks like something you'd expect to see at the airport, rather than as a destination.
Looks like the track and Mayor Menino will be fighting a proposal for Milford for the one eastern-Massachusetts gambling license. If successful, Suffolk Downs wants to install 4,000 to 5,000 slot machines, 200 table games and a poker room, along with "six fine dining concepts," food for those with less refined tastes (a buffet and food court) and 300 hotel rooms.
Promotional video - watch past the intro to be reassured that no, they're not planning to put it in Copley Square:
Also see: The opposing viewpoint.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Perfect
Veni, vidi, volui!
As a wise guy acquaintance put it...
"if it passes, it'll make the Vegas skims look like Keno money".
Can't wait.
If it improves the quality of
If it improves the quality of racing there, I'm all for it. If not, then forget it. At most tracks where there is a casino attached and slots money in the purses, eventually the states look upon horse racing as a drag on the casino operations. But as a racing fan, if it goes through, I hope it restores the Mass Cap, increases the number of stakes and brings the racing to a higher level.
Have to disagree with your underlying dig, adam
I'm not sure yet if I'm in favor of a Suffolk Downs casino (although I do want the chance to vote on it as a resident of the city, much of my decision would depend on how most of my fellow Bostonians in Eastie feel about it).
But contrary to your snipe, I am encouraged by the less-than-Vegas-zazz of the architecture proposed. Unlike most of outdoors southern Nevada, much of the area around the Downs is beautiful and pleasant (other than the airport noise unfortunately), and imo any developer would be wise to downplay external architectural glitz in favor of solid accomadations and making the most of the views of Belle Isle reservation and the bay.
Frankly, the scale of the proposed casino looks well considered to me. It's smaller than the convention center, for example, but large enough to be a 'real' (ie not just a boutique) destination.
Who's designing these things
and why are they so ugly?
If we're going to do casinos in the commonwealth, at least take some ques from our colonial history and make something that looks unique.
I'm not sure whats worse, this thing or the log cabin from hell monstrosity promised for Foxborough.
I'm sure it will look better
once you have a few folks in their best Ed Hardy tee shirts classin' up the joint. Funny how the architectural renderings never show what the customers really look like. I went to Foxwoods once just to see the place and I've never seen so many glum, unhealthy-looking, old people. It's not at all like the glamourous folks on the ads currently adorning Park Street station:
THE JACK knows he can win his money back any time now
THE QUEEN just figured out how she's going to explain what happened to the rent money
THE KING thinks he can outsmart the system, though he never finished community college
THE ACE carries a credit card balance larger than his IRA
THE JOKER thinks slot machines are entertainment. He hasn't read a book since high school.
And what happened to trying to match Boston/North Shore
A couple of years ago they came out with the following proposal that actually kind of looked like a classy horse track
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/07/suffolk_downs_r.html
It looks like they are more interested in packing as many slot machines as possible into this glass barn. Foxwoods has 6,300; they want 5,000.
That rendering is definitely
That rendering is definitely a better design than the big glass box. The new design looks like an airport terminal.
But if this is going to be a 24/7 facility, how will all the drunk, broke patrons get home when the T has shut down for the night?
This casino will be
This casino will be accessible by public transportation which I think should give it an advantage over competing proposals for an Eastern Mass casino. Plus, it will bring more diversity to the Boston economy.
Because it is easily accessible from the airport I hope it has amenities that will make it attractive to charter flights for people who enjoy gambling.
Casinos generally serve drinks 24*7*365. So this could also bring about big changes in liquor licensing in the city.
Finally, the casino can be a bigger success if eventually both the gaming and drinking ages can be lowered to 18 (which is how life is really lived here anyway)... that would make the place a huge draw for the college crowd.
Too bad they won't be able to
Too bad they won't be able to get a liquor license.