Officials have said they do not want a vote during the run of the Eastern States Exhibition, which is from Sept. 13 to 29 this year,
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Time is running short for Hard Rock International to get a Sept. 10 referendum before voters on its plans for an $800 million casino here, and one town councilor has stated Hard Rock needs to get a signed host community agreement to the Town Council by Wednesday to meet that time frame.
Officials have said they do not want a vote during the run of the Eastern States Exhibition, which is from Sept. 13 to 29 this year.
Town Councilor Brian J. Griffin, head of the council’s casino mitigation committee, said Monday that the agreement would have to be to the council by Wednesday in order for it to have the 48 hours needed to post a meeting for Friday.
Griffin said to meet the Sept. 10 date, state regulations require that the council vote by Friday that it wants the commonwealth to do a background check and determine whether Hard Rock is suitable to develop a casino. He said Hard Rock had hoped for a Sept. 10 vote.
Meanwhile, Mark Rivers, president of the Bronson Companies, which is negotiating a host community agreement with the mayor, said “As of this moment there are not any plans for any announcement on any day. We are working diligently and in good faith and we hope to have an announcement forthcoming any day now. We are excited about creating a package of benefits and opportunities that will excite the community.”
Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger could not be reached for comment.
Hard Rock International formed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino New England to develop a destination resort casino on about 38 acres of the campus of the Eastern States Exposition on Memorial Avenue. Plans call for a 12-story hotel of from 250 to 300 rooms as well as a Hard Rock Cafe, a parking deck and a galleria of retail shops and restaurants.