Selectmen Set Casino Public Hearing For Jan. 10, Address Divided Community

Foxborough's board of selectmen held a meeting Tuesday night to discuss if and when there should be a public hearing with representatives from Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn and New England Patriot owner Robert Kraft regarding the details of their resort casino proposal.

After over an hour of heated and passionate debate, the board voted 3-2 to hold a public hearing on Jan. 10 at Foxborough High School. Originally, Foxborough town officials had made plans for a public hearing Saturday, Dec. 17 but the Kraft Group responded by saying that they are at work on a conceptual design and would not be ready by that time.

"We understand [the town] is eager for details. [Mr. Wynn has taken feedback and is developing a conceptual plan with details on the proposal]...we ask you to consider scheduling a pubic forum on Jan. 18," the Group stated in an email to Town Manager Kevin Paicos.

However, the board ultimately decided upon Jan. 10, as a means to "meet in the middle."

The meeting Tuesday, Dec. 13, comes on the heels of what has been a truly for the town of Foxborough.

On Dec. 2, the town was turned upside down when Wynn and Kraft announced their plans for a billion dollar gaming facility across from Gillette Stadium. Mere hours after the announcement, groups of residents against casinos, specifically, "No Foxboro Casino" and groups in support, "Jobs for Foxboro," emerged in force. The issue, according to selectmen, has divided the town, pitting neighbor against neighbor.

"I received a call from a resident that their anti-casino sign had been stolen," stated selectwoman Lorraine Brue in her opening comments Tuesday night. Brue also mentioned that casino signs have been lit on fire. She mentioned her fear "over the deep seeded division" currently in town.

Including the news of the recent resignation of Foxborough's finance director, Brue stated her overall opinion to the board: "I believe a perfect a scenario" has been created for a win for Wynn and lose for Foxborough. Brue, against a casino, received a standing ovation from the crowd.

The discussion quickly turned into turmoil as selectwoman Lynda Walsh made a motion to table the meeting until Jan. 18 when representatives of Kraft and Wynn will be present. Those comments were immediately met with a mix of boo's and cheers, causing board chair Larry Harrington to ask people to be respectful.

Board member Jim DeVellis spoke mainly on process.

"It's a long, five-step process," DeVellis said after going through the motions and votes that would need to be taken before anything became official. However, DeVellis, after speaking on his time discussing the issue with residents, businesses and legislators, made it known to the board his position on a casino.

"I ask our board do not support casino proposals. I am confident I want to go in that direction," he said.

With a discussion filled with interruptions, both applause and boos, board member Mark Sullivan took to the microphone to express his disappointment in the way people are choosing to react.

"People's reactions tonight are embarrassing and saddens me," noted Sullivan. "[You] elected us to represent the town. I don’t represent one group over another group. It deeply saddens me by the way people are reacting tonight – I wish this proposal never came to us."

Sullivan further stated that "he does not like the concept" but his position as a town selectmen includes the fact that everybody needs to be heard.

"Continue your process in a polite American way to make sure your side is heard... lets try to live with each other, move forward [and] put down the anger and frustration."

Board chair Harrington stated that the Kraft organization deserves an opportunity to show the plan.

"I haven’t made up my mind either as to whether support it or not," he noted.

Harrington believes if after Kraft and Wynn present their plan, the town will be able to "quickly share the message" of whether they want to move forward or "have them take the proposal" elsewhere.

Town Manager Kevin Paicos, in being able to legally advise his recommendation on matters of public policy to the board, "urged selectmen to vote to notify Kraft that the town is no longer interested in receiving a casino proposal."

"Imagine if this debate went on for months - the stress and turmoil that would occur," noted Paicos. "Our town would have more money but our sense of community would be disfractured for years to come. There can be no winners in this debate."

Paicos concluded by stating, "money must never be viewed more than community."

With the holiday timetable coming in to question by board member Sullivan, debate continued among selectmen as to whether to schedule a meeting for Jan. 18, Dec. 17, another date in between or to seize casino debate all together.

"There is no desire on my part to even have any type of meeting on this topic," said selectwoman Brue.

The board's motion carried 3-2 to hold a public hearing on Jan. 10, with the majority of the board saying that the public should hear what is being proposed, including Harrington and board members Walsh and Sullivan. Harrington and Sullivan both suggested a public vote of some kind to follow the hearing after Jan. 10.