Tewksbury Declines a Casino

Tewksbury, Massachusetts, a town of approximately 29,000 people, recently made a decision regarding gambling. Its residents voted against the construction of a 24-hour slots parlor.

The company Penn National Gaming had proposed opening a casino on a 30-acre plot of commercial land situated on the Tewksbury-Andover border. Town officials estimated that this casino would add 500 jobs to the area. The Tewksbury Finance Committee, Planning Board and Board of Selectmen all endorsed its construction. The town’s fire and police unions also approved of the plan as Penn had pledged a $900,000 donation for public safety improvements.

On the night of Tuesday, August 20, hundreds of citizens crammed into the cafeteria, auditorium and gymnasium at Tewksbury Memorial High School to sound off on the $200 million casino. Proponents and opponents debated the project for 90 minutes. Then a vote was held. For the measure to pass, 1,709 people — two-thirds of those assembled — needed to vote in favor. In the end, 1,568 people voted no; 995 people voted yes. This vote represented the first time in Massachusetts history that citizens were directly responsible for stopping the building of a casino.