The long and road that is winding causes an Everett casino for Steve Wynn is getting nearer to the finish line: the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s madly demanding investigative bureau has finally given the go-ahead from a suitability standpoint for the casino mogul to open his first-ever Bay State property.

Cleared for Takeoff

The recommendation was made early last week during a commission meeting, and followed a four-member sign-off on a revised deal for the planned casino a few times early in the day.

Needless to express, Steve Wynn has to be breathing a sigh of relief. With his typical colorful and wording that is cut-to-the-chase he summed up his feelings on having made it this far and being this near to the end of the regulatory hurdles entirely.

‘ This will be a investment that is big us here in Boston,’ Wynn noted. ‘This isn’t box of slots. This is a ‘wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am’ fancy hotel.’

Of course, there’s no lunch that is free this commission; a group that has proved to be finicky up to a degree that has driven all of the proposed casinos’ executives to distraction. The Commission’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement is still demanding that some conditions be met, such as showing the outfit that Wynn’s interactions in his Macau casinos fall suitably within what the BIE considers ‘responsible business techniques. to that particular end’

Ensuing Doings

Wynn has hardly been the subject that is only of scrutiny by the Commission; nor has it all been going in one direction. Caesars Entertainment who had been essentially rejected as a business that is appropriate for Suffolk Downs’ East-Boston-now-Revere casino project recently filed a lawsuit against the Commission’s Chairman, Stephen Crosby, claiming that Crosby had didn’t adequately reveal a potential conflict of great interest relating to Wynn. Crosby had a prior business relationship with a part owner of the land on which Everett is usually to be built a former Mansanto chemical plant which could at the least provide the appearance of some favoritism being shown to Wynn’s casino project here.

Caesars stated an absence of ‘objectivity and fairness’on Crosby’s part in the matter, even going so far as to mean that Crosby deliberately wanted to derail Suffolk Downs’ casino application. Caesars via that Suffolk Downs partnership, which is now dissolved was in the running for the same Massachusetts that is eastern casino as competitor Wynn. Suffolk Downs has since regrouped and is now aiming for a Revere casino with new partner Mohegan Sun.

But Crosby has not taken some of these allegations lying down, and records he doesn’t intend to recuse himself from voting on the Wynn casino project. In fact, he says the process to date has certainly been ‘incredibly transparent.’

And for his part, Wynn is supporting up Crosby, saying the commissioner’s reputation and actions to date have been ‘unblemished.’

‘I think fair and people that are reasonable see that and realize that i have fulfilled my responsibilities of disclosure,’ Crosby added.

Wynn also fired straight back at Caesars, with an ‘I’m-nicer-than-you-are’-style retort. The casino magnate noted that he raised no protests to the commission vis-à-vis its allowing Suffolk Downs to now progress with their Revere-only casino plans after being rejected by East Boston voters in November.

Unsavory Shadows Hang Over Everett Land Deal

Yes, he’s now received approval that is regulatory the Massachusetts Commission, but is everything really on the up-and-up with Wynn’s Everett land deal? Perhaps Not according to felon that is convicted Lightbody, who claims he is making cash on Wynn’s land purchase, some way, even though the Commission sees things differently.

Lightbody even bragged to a still-incarcerated mob enforcer friend about it on tape.

‘It’s gonna be a real home run if we are able to get the permits through,’ Lightbody told Daren Bufalino, who’s in state prison, doing time for attempted extortion and conspiracy. ‘ You’ll own half the [expletive] city,’ Lightbody told Bufalino in Aug. 2012, implying that the convict may benefit aswell.

Lightbody had been referring to Wynn’s handle the Everett land owners to fork over $75 million for his Massachusetts casino project, on spec.

In reaction to that, the Commission unanimously approved a revised submitted land deal plan from Wynn, which lowered the parcel that is 29-acre cost down to $35 million, essentially eliminating the possibility for Lightbody benefitting from the land deal. A group who paid just $8 million four years ago for the same parcel although Lightbody’s name had never shown up on any documents, he was reportedly part of that original sellers group.

Wynn had to swear towards the Commission that solely the owners that are principal make any profits from the deal under the revised agreement.

Lightbody’s taped jail conversations with Bufalino were subpoenaed by the commission investigators. If he gets squeezed out or not in them, the ex-felon makes clear he intends to profit from the land deal, no matter. Lightbody also indicated into the conversation that he knew how to full cover up his part-ownership from any regulatory scrutiny. Moreover, two for the Everett property owners say Lightbody purchased a choice for a nearby strip club, an option which he will exercise should the casino come to fruition.

‘The other thing around the corner that goes with a casino I own,’ Lightbody is heard Bufalino that is telling during of their exchanges.’It’s the thing that is best you could have by having a casino. There’s only two things, ladies and booze, right around the part. [Expletive] locked it. Locked up tight as a drum.’

During the course of their investigations, the payment investigators determined that Bufalino had, in fact, received prison canteen money from Lightbody, and that the two men were buddies.

With Board Chairman Stephen Crosby recused due to his conflict of interest, the remainder of the Massachusetts Commission offered a thumbs-up to the revised land contract, despite investigators discovering that the selling principals had maybe not disclosed Lightbody’s initial 12.5 percent ownership share, and had also falsified documents so that it showed up the ex-con had exited through the deal before he actually had.