House Bill 3680 Could Bring Casino to Area if Approved
A bill filed by Representative Natalie Higgins was vetted by the Joint Committee on Transportation earlier this month and proposes a new Economic Development Region to include Ashburnham, Westminster, Lunenburg, Fitchburg, and Leominster. It would be called “Region D” and make the area eligible for a gaming license. 25% of gaming revenue collected in the region from a possible casino would be used to fund expanded commuter rail services along the Route 2 corridor into North Central Massachusetts. —
The proposal would expand the 3 designated casino regions (A, B, and C) which has so far resulted in the issuance of 2 resort casino licenses. The Expanded Gaming Act passed in 2011 allowed for one casino license per region. Natalie Higgins, Democrat of the Worcester 4th District of Leominster. Higgins says “At the heart of [the proposal] is opening up an additional region for north central Massachusetts for a possible casino and channeling that money into something that we all desperately need: better operated, better funded and more expanded commuter rail.”