The Massachusetts Gaming Commission were provided a detailed report by senior representatives of the Wynn Boston Harbor resort casino outlining their plans for the Everett project’s site clean-up and their mitigation plans.
Wynn Resorts chairman Steve Wynn recently announced a number of changes to the project’s design and stated that the budget for the casino had increased from $1.7 billion to $2 billion. A significant portion of that money is being spent on the clean up of the site which will be constructed at the ex-Monsanto chemical manufacturing plant. The company has already invested $300 million as it looks to remove all forms dangerous toxins that might be present.
The Wynn Boston Harbor resort project has come under a lot of criticism and opposition from numerous fronts. The city of Somerville has currently initiated legal proceedings against the casino resort on the basis that it causes serious environmental damages. Although the casino has secured a vital environmental permit from the state gaming commission, the clean up work was brought to a halt earlier this month due to the lawsuit.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission were presented a report that had more than 10,000 pages outlining the steps that the casino had taken to ensure environmental safety, reduce traffic problems in the areas that surround the casino and its compensation proposals to nearby towns who are expected to be impacted by the presence of the casino.
The report comprises of 20 traffic and environmental plans that have been carried conducted over the course of the last three years. These reports have been reviewed by twenty local organizations, fourteen municipalities, twelve state agencies and three federal agencies.
The president of the Wynn Boston Harbor casino, Robert DeSalvio stated that the company is putting together an environmental remediation to the tune of $30 million and will also contribute $266 million in the years to come to help with the development of road development, road construction and traffic demand management. The casino is also expected to shell out around $1 billion during the next 15 years in mitigation and community payments.
In a statement, DeSalvio said “When you think about the commitment on behalf of Wynn Resorts for a project of this nature, it really is nothing short of incredible. We feel like we have done the most in depth due diligence environmental filings that any project has ever gone through that we’ve ever heard of.”
The president stated that anyone who reviews the detailed reports and mitigation plans that have been made towards the Everett project should be able to have all their doubts removed and be confident of Wynn Resort’s commitment towards the project. The Gaming Commission is expected to organize a public hearing on March 29 to hear feedback on its Section 61 findings.