The recent announcement that Wynn Resorts and Mayor Martin Walsh have reached a deal on mitigation should come as no surprise. Since the Boston lawsuits were dismissed last November, the legal options available to Mayor Walsh were dwindling. We congratulate Mayor Walsh for recognizing this reality and negotiating in getting some added benefits for all Boston residents. Mr. Wynn is to be thanked for still negotiating and giving additional funds to Boston, when he probably did not have to do any more concessions.
Both sides came away with something and this outcome is what is sought in all successful negotiations. No one was a big winner or loser at the expense of the other party.
For Charlestown residents what all this means is still not completely known. There is a million dollars that is being held in escrow by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that will be divided among local organizations. We hope that as a community we can agree to start the process to dispense these monies without a lot of rancor.
While most of the brown-field clean-up at the Wynn Resort site is now done, we should turn our attention to areas of quality of life. Our issues of clean air and reducing traffic congestion are the same concerns that Steve Wynn has at his resort.
Mr. Wynn has always shown himself to be a good and responsible neighbor at all of his developments. We see no reason why he should change his method of operation now with the Everett proposal.
Wynn representatives have always been willing to talk, as seen by their community meetings in Charlestown last winter, but given the climate of the last year, Boston officials were far less willing to start serious talks. Today that has changed.
Wynn should not be seen as someone with bottomless pockets. He has a business to run and stockholders to answer to. Wynn and Boston must now jointly deal with the expanded Assembly Square Mall that will send many more cars onto our overcrowded streets. We need to be reasonable in our requests and discussions. After all, Wynn and many Boston neighborhoods want the same results – less traffic congestion and a better and greener environment.