A recount of the vote, which failed by 93 votes, is scheduled for Tuesday, but casino officials say it will not change the split in the town's opinion.
PALMER – Following a Nov. 5 referendum in which town voters rejected Mohegan Sun's $1 billion resort casino project, the company announced Friday that it will explore non-gaming projects on the site.
Mohegan has a 99-year lease on the property.
A recount of the vote, which failed by 93 votes, is scheduled for Tuesday, but casino officials say it will not change the split in the town's opinion.
“Like so many people in Palmer, we were incredibly disappointed in the outcome of the referendum on Nov. 5,” said Mitchell Etess, CEO of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. “Our project held great promise for a better Palmer, with more than $16 million in annual revenue, thousands of jobs, new opportunities for small business and economic development for the entire region.
“We have been deeply committed to this community for more than five years, and we remain so through our long-term interest in 152 acres off Route 32 and the Massachusetts Turnpike,” Etess added. “The site off Exit 8 in Palmer remains an excellent opportunity for commercial development, and we look forward to coordinating efforts with Palmer so that it is developed for maximum benefit to the community.”
Etess said the delay the recount from Nov. 5 was inconsistent with the timetable established by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission application process.
“The Town of Palmer made a definitive statement on Nov. 5 – that it is sharply divided on the issue of casino gaming,” Etess said. “The recount will not change this fact.”
MGM's proposal Springfield's South End is the one remaining application for the Western Massachusetts resort casino license.