This neck and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image source: Boston Globe). These days.
This neck and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image source: Boston Globe). These days.
This throat and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image supply: Boston World). These days.
This neck and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image source: Boston World). These days.
This neck and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image source: Boston Globe). These days.
This neck and neck finish at Suffolk Downs Boston-area racetrack is symbolic of how their casino vote is unfolding. (Image source: Boston Globe). These days.
Suffolk Downs CEO Chip Tuttle about losing the casino vote.
Worse, they say, voters have no idea what they are voting on. Among the skeptics in East Boston, where half the population is Latino, many work in the small businesses that make up the lifeblood of the neighborhood. Suffolk Downs was believed to have the edge because of its strong political backing, most notably from Mayor Thomas M. Home Page World U.{/INSERTKEYS}{/PARAGRAPH} He said the track would acquire a new partner quickly and hold it to the same standards agreed to by Caesars. With her daughter, Jennifer, 20, translating, Mrs. Voters in East Boston and Revere have to approve the plan for it to go forward. But in mid-October, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission , reputed to be one of the toughest in the country, pulled the plug on Caesars, saying it was unsuitable for doing business in the state. Whether Caesars is part of the project does not matter to many. He said Suffolk could overcome that disadvantage with the promise of 4, permanent jobs; last month, 1, people turned out for a job fair at the track to learn about opportunities. But opponents say there is no guarantee that a new partner will abide by the agreements reached with Caesars on matters such as number of jobs, employee benefits and payments to the city. The track, where the Beatles played in , is also a sentimental favorite since it has been here almost 80 years. If the referendum passes, she said, opponents will probably challenge it in court. Voters in Revere appear poised to approve it. She said many other immigrants who had worked hard to establish themselves here feared the same. Suffolk Downs officials said they were blindsided by the report. He also said the loss of Caesars had not hurt his campaign. Menino of Boston. The gambling commission is to award the license by spring. Once they have local approval, the casinos must submit their final applications to the state by Dec. As confusing as this might be for voters, Suffolk needs their approval before it can compete against two potent rivals that are also seeking the license for a casino to be built in the untapped, lucrative Eastern Massachusetts market. Caesars said it was equally surprised. Now, Suffolk Downs is suddenly scrambling to find a new partner. Generally, he said, 25 percent to 30 percent of people oppose casinos for moral or religious reasons. Suffolk Downs asked Caesars to withdraw, and it did. But opponents say that it changes everything and that it is absurd for voters to be passing judgment on something that does not exist. Chip Tuttle, the chief operating officer of Suffolk Downs, said the ballot referendum was merely a land use question for voters. Amelia Sanchez, 60, who owns La Sultana bakery, said she opposed the casino because she was afraid it would bring drugs, prostitution and gang violence. As track officials seek a new partner, they have sought to minimize any sense of disruption. {PARAGRAPH}{INSERTKEYS}BOSTON — Suffolk Downs, a famed but fading thoroughbred racetrack in the neighborhood of East Boston, had dreams of a major revitalization, and when the state approved casinos in , it partnered with the Caesars Entertainment Corporation to apply for the sole casino license that would be awarded in the greater Boston area. At stake is billions of dollars in anticipated revenue, some of which will be shared with the host community and the state. The commission did deem Suffolk Downs suitable for a casino. Sanchez, who is from Colombia, said she was also worried that the casino would drive up rents and force her out. Residents there have approved his project with Milford will vote on the Foxwoods plan on Nov.