The state Gaming Commission is bracing for a rush of petitions from cities and towns that believe casino developers have wrongly denied them surrounding community status, which entitles them to payments to make up for the stress casinos would put on their roads and infrastructure.
Malden and Somerville have filed petitions for surrounding community status to Mohegan Sun's casino in Revere, and Northampton has filed for MGM's Springfield project. Chelsea is expected to file for Wynn Resorts' Everett project before Monday's deadline.
Mohegan reps met for the first time Tuesday with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who's said he may insist on host community status for both the Revere and Everett proposals, which would require a filing with the gaming panel and voter approval before either casino could be licensed.
The Gaming Commission plans to decide Feb. 6 who is and isn't a surrounding community. If communities disagree, they can seek arbitration.
"We look at the facts and we make a decision," Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said. "If we decide they're not a surrounding community, because essentially there's no material adverse impact in our judgment, then it's over."
Mohegan has designated Boston, Winthrop and Chelsea surrounding communities to its project at Suffolk Downs in Revere, and has offered a separate joint agreement to Malden, Saugus, Lynn, Salem, and Medford. Still, Malden has petitioned the commission for surrounding community status.
"Malden shares its entire easterly border with the city of Revere, and it is reasonably foreseeable that Mohegan's proposed development will impact Malden's infrastructure," city solicitor Kathryn Fallon wrote in a memo dated Tuesday, which was obtained by the Herald.
Mohegan and Suffolk Downs spokesman Chip Tuttle said a joint agreement was presented because impacts were all transportation-related, and the deal aims to "create a way for all of them to share in a resource that would help with regional transportation issues."
Tuttle said Mohegan had a "great initial meeting" with Walsh and members of his staff Tuesday. Walsh's office did not comment on the meeting.
Chelsea city manager Jay Ash said Wynn Resorts — which designated only Boston and Medford as surrounding communities — abruptly stopped negotiations six weeks ago.
"I was befuddled and incensed," Ash said. "It's kind of preposterous to think that communities that are within a mile of a gaming establishment would not be considered surrounding communities."
Wynn spokesman Michael Weaver said, "We determined that Chelsea would not be negatively impacted by our project and consequently would not be designated a surrounding community."
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