Gaming panel responds

Engendering public confidence in the decision-making of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is the cornerstone of its mission and an utmost priority. We were deeply disheartened to read a column published in the Boston Herald that alleged a connection between Steve Wynn’s decision to support “No on Question 4” and the timing of a gaming commission vote to approve the design of Wynn Boston Harbor (“Wynn ups the ‘anti’,” Oct. 29). And the commission was not afforded fair opportunity to respond for the column.

Wynn’s choice to contribute to the marijuana anti-legalization campaign is not in any way germane to decisions before the Gaming Commission, and any suggestion that an approval was based on anything more than the facts and their merits is simply asinine. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is an independent body and was strategically designed to be isolated from political influence.

The commission takes great pains to ensure that its decisionmaking is transparent and conveniently accessible to all. In addition to live-streaming of public meetings, the commission maintains a detailed and robust meeting archive that provides timely transcripts, meeting minutes and videos of all discussions and decisions. The commission welcomes everyone to join our meetings or review our process at MassGaming.com. — Elaine Driscoll, director of communications, Massachusetts Gaming Commission