The full report is available on-line at http://www.casinocommittee.com/, but this is a very quick synopsis.
- Roads and bridges will be improved
- Water Dept. needs a new tank
- Wastewater "should not further impact the Nemasket River"
- Gas and Electric: "should create economies of scale resulting in
lower rate costs to all citizens of Middleboro"
- Traffic: "All efforts should be made to limit casino-resort traffic from
local roads"
- Fire and Ambulance: Fire chief says he needs $1M to cover costs.
- Police: Estimated $500,000 annual cost increase.
- Crime: "Perceptions of the relationship of casinos to crime do not mirror reality"
- Addiction: With or without a casino, "issues of addiction need more attention"
- Pollution and environmental impact: Important (but Indians do have
to meet EPA requirements)
- Schools: "minimal impact"
- Library: Obviously needs help.
- COA: same comment
- Real Estate: "should be an increase in home prices"
- Rural Character: Middleboro has large amounts of undeveloped land
and still will after this.
- Employment: Will reduce unemployment.
- Local Business: "People using local businesses will continue to use them"
- Transportation: Plymouth Airport could see increase in traffic.
- Increased Town revenue ($11M plus, with inflation increases)
- Wampanoags back in ancestral home
- Will fix Rte 44 (finally!)
- New upscale restaurants
- New entertainment venues
- Regional Conference Center
- Increased tourism
- More commercial development
- More employment (over 16,000 currently unemployed within 30 miles of Middleboro!)
- State police will patrol Rte 44, freeing our police
- Rte 44 no longer will divide town with stoplights.
- New Tribal Museum
- Possible Golf course
Overall, the report is positive. This Resort-Casino deal will
help Middleboro.