« When driving pay attention to roads, avoid risks | Main | Why wait for the worst to happen? »

February 26, 2008

Food for thought on casinos

The second line of type made it clearer: "The new casino at Foxwoods expects to hire 2,000 workers, including many from Rhode Island, for its May opening."

The article had my attention, but I couldn't read on. My mother said the chicken cacciatore was on the table and the Brunello di Montalcino uncorked.

I put the newspaper down, walked exactly six steps from the living room to the kitchen and sat down to a Sunday dinner that was a tradition at our home when I was growing up years ago.

My mother is 88 and will turn 89 on the Ides of March.

She critiques Emeril, Rachael Ray and Anna Esposito nearly every day from a blue-cloth lounge chair, making notes on looseleaf paper she keeps on a small table nearby. In a cookoff of all three against Mrs. Campanini, mia madre would razzle-dazzle 'em before they could say linguini con scungili nero (linguini with black squid, a Sicilian delicacy).

My mother has never been to a casino and has no desire to visit Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. However, she has many friends from her small church, St. Agnes, who go there weekly. They "play a little," she says, "little" being the slots and blackjack, and then "they eat a good lunch and come home" on the bus.

My mother says her cacciatore and la sua cucina (her kitchen) would suffer if suddenly she were to join the casino club. I could see her point. On the table before me were such savory smells that when I closed my eyes, I thought I was 14 years old again. The tender chicken cutlets were slightly floured and pan simmered in a special brodo (broth) of crushed tomatoes, oil, peppers, onions and mushrooms. They flaked at the touch of a fork. Gingerly, I transported each delicate morsel into my mouth. I truly can't say what divine taste is but, mio Dio, this gives me something to shoot for in the afterlife.
A sip of Brunello and the conversazione was casinos and jobs.

I told my mother that I couldn't remember the last time a Massachusetts newspaper ran a headline announcing the creation of 2,000 jobs.

I filled her in on Gov. Deval Patrick's plan to build three resort casinos in Massachusetts but how House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi is resisting. I told her Massachusetts could use the jobs.

"Twin River (Rhode Island's slots casino) keeps adding something new every week," she said, dipping her crusty bread in the cacciatore. "People have jobs who never had jobs. Even the priest goes up there. He says he's looking for his parishioners, but I think he plays a little, too."

Oh, mamma mia, don't let me write that. But I just did. And that's the point. Casinos are a destination for nearly everyone.

Massachusetts has to make a decision and soon. Government spending is killing us at all levels. People with and without college degrees can't find good jobs here, can't afford to live here and are leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere. The economy is the issue, and expanded gaming, let's face it, must become a part of the fiscal picture because government spending isn't going away.

Basically, Patrick's plan would raise $400 million to $600 million in licensing fees immediately. In addition, the state would receive annual payments based on total casino revenues. From my perspective, however, jobs are the key.

Building three casinos would create hundreds of high-paying, temporary construction jobs. The permanent jobs would come from casino management and services. Let's look at what the MGM Grand hotel is offering those willing to work:

According to the Journal article, the new jobs will include 350 supervisor/ managerial positions and 277 dealers, along with security officers, cashiers, food and beverage servers, housekeeping personnel, maintenance workers and facility engineers.

In addition to the 2,000 jobs at the MGM Grand (2 million square feet with 825 hotel rooms and a 4,000-seat theater), there will be 1,000 jobs available at five new restaurants that hire separately. Foxwoods now employs 10,000 people, according to Steve Heise, the resort's VP of human resources.

At present, Rhode Island and Connecticut casinos are making hundreds of millions of dollars on Massachusetts residents who enjoy gambling and the entertainment offered. Jobs are also piling up south of the border while Massachusetts sits on the sidelines.

How long must this go on?

The answer must wait another day. My mother has just placed a dish of homemade tiramisu on the table. My nostrils are flaring: creamy ciccolata and baked lady fingers have overtaken my senses.

Jim Campanini is The Sun's editor. E-mail him at jcampanini@lowellsun.com.

Posted by Admin at February 26, 2008 8:42 AM

Comments

Posted by: Bill Deignan at March 15, 2008 6:13 PM