From left, Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo, Lynn Mayor Judith Flanagan Kenendy, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree, and Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash, pictured at the media conference Monday at Lynn City Hall.
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy joined city leaders, including Mayor Daniel Rizzo of Revere, Mayor Kimberly Driscoll of Salem, City Manager Jay Ash of Chelsea, and Town Manager Scott Crabtree of Saugus to show their support for a world-class Mohegan Sun Casino at Suffolk Downs at a media conference Monday at Lynn City Hall.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is scheduled to vote today (Tuesday) whether to allow a casino/hotel project to go forward in Revere and be eligible for the lone gaming license in the Greater Boston area. The Mohegan Sun project would be built on the Revere portion of the Suffolk Downs property.
Kennedy said that Lynn residents would benefit from the many construction and permanent job opportunities that would be created by the casino.
“I have been speaking with Mayor Rizzo over the last couple of weeks and I explained to him what a strong supporter of the casino, not only me personally but the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce have been and I offered to host the this event to show our solidarity with him,” said Kennedy.
Rizzo and the other city leaders thanked Kennedy for hosting the media event in Lynn.
“I am so grateful to Mayor Kennedy for hosting this event,” said Rizzo. “You’re a good friend, a great neighbor and I appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to help put this all together for us.”
Rizzo said the casino/hotel project has always been a regional project. “This is not just about East Boston or Revere. This is about the state of Massachusetts and certainly our region. We’re going to be able to put 4,000 people to work, create numerous economic development opportunities all along the North Shore. We’re going to be able to invest tens of millions of dollars into transportation improvements.”
Among the Lynn community leaders joining Kennedy at the event were James Cowdell, executive director of the Economic Development Industrial Corporation, Jamie Marsh, Lynn director of economic development and general manager of the Lynn Auditorium, and Jamie Cerulli, chief of staff for the Lynn mayor’s office.
The Lynn Auditorium’s entertainment schedule has been a tremendous success during the Kennedy administration, drawing large crowds for its concerts and shows. A future partnership between Mohegan Sun and the Lynn Auditorium could be a financial boon for the city.
Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce President Leslie Gould and Chairman David Solimine Jr. led a contingent of Chamber members who support the casino/project at Suffolk Downs.
“I think this is an incredible opportunity for Lynn, for all of our business owners, for the community. When you’re talking about creating jobs, this is going to be an incredible opportunity to bring economic vitality to not only the cities of Lynn and Revere, but the entire region,” said Gould.