Voters in Brockton approved on Tuesday a resort casino proposal by a 143-vote margin.

The unofficial results, according to Brockton elections officials, had 7,163 votes for the proposal, or 50.5 percent, and 7,020 votes against the proposal. The officials said they do not expect a recount.

Mass Gaming & Entertainment, affiliated with Rush Street Gaming in Chicago, is proposing to build a $650 million casino located on the Brockton Fairgrounds. The agreement with the city of Brockton, which voters approved on Tuesday, includes at least $10 million a year in revenue for the city.

Roughly 32 percent of Brockton voters went to the polls.

The vote keeps Mass Gaming & Entertainment in the race for a casino license in southeastern Massachusetts, also known as “Region C.”

Other potential contenders include a group looking to bring a resort casino to New Bedford and another looking to build one in Somerset. Separately, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is interested in building a casino in Taunton and is waiting to see if the federal government allows for land to be taken into trust for the tribe.

“Our thanks to Mayor Bill Carpenter, the Brockton City Council, Senator Tom Kennedy, George Carney and the Brockton community leaders for their support,” Neil Bluhm, chairman of Mass Gaming & Entertainment, said in a statement. “We are confident that our proposal for a resort casino at the Brockton Fairgrounds will produce a tremendously positive impact for the City and the commonwealth. We look forward to working closely with the community as we pursue the gaming license for Southeastern Massachusetts.”

State gambling regulators have already handed out licenses for casinos in Everett and Springfield, and a Plainville slots parlor is scheduled to open in June.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is set to meet on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. inside the Hynes Convention Center, where they will discuss the bids for a “Region C” license.

Voters Narrowly Sign Off On Brockton Casino Proposal

by State House News Service time to read: 1 min
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