Category: wynn

• A Call for a More Thoughtful Waterfront Development

  

  The current Rivergreen waterfront development proposal in Everett needs more oversight and consideration before it can be approved. Our City certainly needs more housing, but we cannot afford to continue developing haphazardly. We can and should consider our community along the way.

  Here are my suggested considerations to get this project up and running properly, which include flooding protections, public space, transportation and traffic, affordable housing, accountability and ongoing support. I recently expressed these concerns during the Planning Board meeting on September 5th because our City and its residents deserve consideration while we create the future of Everett’s unique river walk.

  First, let me acknowledge that I am a City Councilor representing Ward 3 and this project sits in Ward 6. That said, I am always concerned about the well-being of our entire City. Poorly planned overdevelopment affects us all. That’s why I’ve been working tirelessly to amend outdated zoning laws in our Business District, which apply to all Wards in Everett. We should approach every development project with the same level of scrutiny and consideration, regardless of its location, and build a strong community that we all can enjoy.

  Flooding

  This project sits directly between water and even more water. We already know that rising water and ever-stronger storm fronts are an issue. So the project must be designed to protect residents from flooding and other wastewater issues. Ensuring that our new development is environmentally responsible and resilient is not a matter of choice; it’s an obligation. We cannot compromise on the safety and well-being of our residents.

  Public Access

  It would be tragic to take our community’s gorgeous, unique asset — the riverfront — blocked away from residents because of privatization. Other large cities have truly prioritized river access for their communities and are spending millions of dollars to revitalize these areas, and require all new developments to include more green space and public access. We should do the same. Members of our community should not be excluded.

  Transportation and Traffic

  The Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan is essential to this project, particularly because our ordinance requires fewer parking spaces intended to reduce congestion. We need to anticipate and address potential transportation challenges before the project is approved. Issues will surely arise otherwise. For example, how will Santilli Circle be affected? We must consider the needs of our Gateway City and prioritize public safety and transportation efficiency. Public parking will decrease significantly, privatizing a majority of the available parking. I recommend that a large number of the ~600 spaces stay open in the daytime for all Everett residents. We can collaborate with the state and other developments to create a safer, more integrated City. (Note: We also need to improve our application and public hearing process for development in Everett, but I’ll explain that another day…)

  Affordable Housing

  The developer’s failure to meet the required 15% of affordable units should be a non-starter. We absolutely cannot afford to compromise on our commitment to affordable housing in Everett. Why would any developer doing business in our City think they can just ignore our requirements? Any development of this scale should meet — and exceed — our affordable housing requirements, not fall short. Let us not forget, this property is owners by Wynn, the parent company of Encore Boston Harbor.

  In conclusion, I currently share the disappointment expressed during the Planning Board meeting regarding the Rivergreen development. It’s imperative that we require the developer to properly address flooding, submit a comprehensive TDM plan and meet our affordable housing requirements to mitigate the impacts of this development effectively. We must advocate for a more thoughtful and equitable approach that prioritizes the needs and well-being of our residents. We are starting to do it with the Wynn Host Agreement renegotiation and this property should be considered in that discussion.

  This project should symbolize progress, sustainability, and community, not compromise our values as a City. Our future depends on making the right decisions today, and I am committed to ensuring Everett’s waterfront truly serves everyone, regardless of Ward boundaries. We deserve better.

  Darren Costa

  Ward 3 City Councilor

  (617) 544-7089

  Darren4Everett@icloud.com

  Darren4Everett.com

  September 25, 2023

  #BuildingABetterEverett #EverettCityCouncil #CommunityUnity #ProgressForAll #riverfront #overdevelopment, City Government, Encore Boston Harbor, Everett, politics

  ---

• The City of Everett and Wynn can both win bigger by working together more closely: Here’s how

  

  Wynn Palace located in the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (MSAR).

  The Mass Gaming Commission (MGC) held a public hearing on April 25th in their Everett City Council Chambers to discuss the proposed Encore Casino East of Broadway expansion project. A major topic was whether to hold a vote for the expansion of the Encore Casino. Overall, I support a Wynn LLC expansion in Everett’s “Entertainment District” — under some critical conditions. Given the material increase in the Encore Casino’s gaming footprint and operations, including sports gaming, Everett and Wynn need to renegotiate the original Host Agreement.

  I support Wynn because they have been a partner in cleaning toxic land, but there is more to be done.

  Unfortunately, Everett came up short in the first negotiation of the Host Agreement with Wynn. I would not approve expansion until we have an updated agreement that supports the interests of Everett’s residents much more thoroughly. Until now, there has been minimal contact between Wynn and Everett’s City Council. In 2022, during a City Council meeting, Wynn acknowledged and committed to a negotiation, in good faith, that considers current economic conditions and beyond. We should be ready to bring great ideas forward during this process. Here are a few of mine.

  Moving forward, Wynn should lead programs in collaboration with the City of Everett. Everett needs a well-considered and enforced strategy for solving our affordable housing crisis. Currently, Everett only receives a (small) community impact fee and frankly we don’t have the capacity to develop and manage the programs necessary to drive solutions alone. It is impractical to simply accept funding without internal infrastructure to spend it appropriately; we should require ongoing collaboration with Wynn to construct and deliver solutions.

  For example, our schools and students would benefit from a more formal partnership with Wynn, complete with compliance, annual reporting and contractual obligation, beyond what’s offered today. They could deliver broader career development opportunities for students, offer Wynn-sponsored programming on-site at schools, and promote student-led civic enhancements.

  Have you noticed that Everett has the fewest green spaces and trees in the greater Boston area, which makes suffering from increasing air pollution and heat much worse for our residents (called urban heat island effect)? I have. Poorly-considered expansion will only make this issue worse. That is why I do not support the proposal for three new parking garages to be built above-ground; Wynn can and should install underground parking instead, clearing the area for parks and trees above. We also have the opportunity to require additional green initiatives such as community solar on their extensive rooftop space to reduce the burden on our community’s energy grid.

  As a densely populated gateway city, Everett desperately needs more public green space where families can gather and enjoy the outdoors. Wynn’s current proposed plans include minimal open air space and public accessibility to community space. The current renderings of the entrance to the overhead pedestrian bridge appear closed off. It would require a resident to enter the building to cross Broadway. Instead, we could have open and inviting outdoor access to the overhead walking path over Broadway. This public walkway should be clear and welcoming to our residents, similar to the TD Banknorth Garden’s integrated entrance with the MBTA.

  On April 11th, I attended the Encore East of Broadway open house at the Encore Casino. It was a wonderful event, however very few Everett residents attended. Everett should require increased community engagement in the city at large, such as sponsoring and participating in events for residents, such as 4th of July, Easter, Halloween, etc. Everett’s Recreation Center draws hundreds of residents and students.

  Everett also needs Wynn’s cooperation on transportation. Wynn shuttle service should be expanded, with more routes and more frequent services to connect commuters to local rail stops where the MBTA falls short. The Wynn water taxi to Long Wharf should expand its service and better promote it as a commuting option from Everett into Boston. Everett has a deteriorating overpass in Sweetser circle that should be repaired. We also lack any vision or plan for building MBTA tracks in our city, while MBTA tracks run behind the Encore Boston Harbor Casino.

  But is it greedy or inappropriate for us to ask for these things? As a business person and financial professional by day, I don’t think so. Let’s look at the numbers. Encore Boston Harbor paid Everett ~$22 million for Fiscal Year 2023 as a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and a Community Impact Fee of ~$5 million for public safety, other municipal services and the offset of negative impacts to a community due to gambling and drinking per the current negotiated agreement. Consider that Wynn sold the Encore Boston Harbor property for $1.7 billion, which would have generated $42 million in normal property taxes. Also consider the property’s current property assessment is $1.3 billion, which would have generated $32 million in normal property taxes. Everett collected only ~$27 million when we could have received $32-$42 million — a difference of up to $15 million per year! In addition, both the PILOT and Community Impact Fee grow annually at only 2.5%, which is far below inflation. In 2022, Wynn generated over $750 million in revenue and expects that to grow with the legalization of sports gambling, so rest assured they can afford to integrate these common-sense requests for our city.

  Given the material increase in the Encore Casino’s gaming footprint and operations, including sports gaming, Everett and Wynn need to renegotiate the original Host Agreement. The Host Agreement, in section 1B items 1 & 2, requires an open negotiation of the Host Community agreement between the City of Everett and Wynn in aggregate, not in pieces.

  In summary, I truly believe that Wynn is a beneficial member of our community. I will be encouraged when I hear more details regarding the negotiations of the original Host Agreement, as promised. We need to make our city and its residents a higher priority in this discussion, which is certainly possible. I believe we can continue to be proud to have Wynn as a partner while we work together to develop and support our city wisely — and Wynn can continue to be proud to be a big part of an ever-improving Everett.

   

   

   

   

   

  May 1, 2023

  Encore Boston Harbor, Everett, Massachusetts, wynn

  ---