Gambling rollout in Bay State
Legalized gaming in Massachusetts stumbled out of the gate and TIMELINE hasn’t found its feet yet. Here’s a timeline:
November 2011: Gov. Deval Patrick signs the Expanded Gaming Act into law.
December 2011: Stephen Crosby is named head of the five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
2013: The western Massachusetts resort casino license goes to MGM Resorts in Springfield.
2014: Plainridge Park, in Plainville, is awarded the state’s slots casino license.
2013-2014: Crosby recuses himself first from a review of Wynn Resorts’ real estate deal for the land in Everett, after disclosing that a friend and former business partner had a stake in the property. He then steps away from the entire Boston-area license vote.
2014: Wynn Resorts, over a competing proposal from Mohegan Sun at Suffolk Downs in Revere, is awarded the coveted Boston-area gaming license.
September 2018: Crosby quits as head of the Gaming Commission.
November 2018: Steve Wynn, the public face of the Las Vegas gaming company, resigns following allegations of sexual misconduct.
April: Wynn Resorts is hit with a $35 million fine and CEO Matt Maddox is ordered to pay $500,000 to penalize the company for “systemic failures” of some executives and board members over sexual-misconduct accusations. The commission report is heavily redacted. Wynn executives later reveal that Wynn lawyers are reviewing whether the company should pay or appeal the fine.
Last week: Wynn and MGM reveal the two companies are exploring the sale of the Everett casino.
June 23: The theoretical opening date of the $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor — which Wynn has said faces a likely delay of at least a couple of weeks.