Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:05 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,637 posts, read 28,452,188 times
Reputation: 50443

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by redplum33 View Post
I don't really know anything about Springfield. I'm just saying it would be naïve to think that organized crime doesn't have a role in major construction projects in the northeast.
So true. They seem to control anything to do with cement, for one thing. I don't know that much about the mob but I know their local headquarters were in the south end. It was kind of nice to look the other way and think that they were gone--but I don't think they ever really go away. Could be the mob that was responsible for the mess that was the Big Dig, the bad cement and having a portion of the highway collapse on a car, killing someone.

I don't like to think that they might get another foot hold in Springfield with the new casino, in some way or another. I guess whatever is built, they will be in on it. They may get jailed, killed, etc. but they never really go away.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:06 PM
 
405 posts, read 254,623 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by redplum33 View Post
I don't really know anything about Springfield. I'm just saying it would be naïve to think that organized crime doesn't have a role in major construction projects in the northeast.

You can't just claim something based on no examples. So tell me how you know this - with concrete examples.


You can see some of the other construction projects undertaken by Tishman, the contractor for MGM here, from the World Trade Center and Lincoln Center to the major hotels in Dubai. This isn't Joe Blow's Home Improvement.


https://www.aecom.com/projects/?fpp=4
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:13 PM
 
23,112 posts, read 18,253,423 times
Reputation: 10656
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
Has the casino down in SE CT really made a difference for that area? It's brought in tax revenue but did it actually help the surrounding towns? I don't know. I don't think it had much effect though.
I heard there was a large increase in the transient population (and associated crime and other ills) of nearby towns like Norwich.


In Bangor, ME where they built the Hollywood Slots near downtown; it did spur a bit of economic development (mostly restaurants/bars) and downtown renewal. But likewise, there was also a noticeable increase in crime and transience. The opiate epidemic could be partially to blame, hard to say because it happened over the same timeframe.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:13 PM
 
405 posts, read 254,623 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
I know their local headquarters were in the south end.

The Springfield mob is the strip clubs, a few bars and little else
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:19 PM
 
405 posts, read 254,623 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by massnative71 View Post
I heard there was a large increase in the transient population (and associated crime and other ills) of nearby towns like Norwich.


In Bangor, ME where they built the Hollywood Slots near downtown; it did spur a bit of economic development (mostly restaurants/bars) and downtown renewal. But likewise, there was also a noticeable increase in crime and transience. The opiate epidemic could be partially to blame, hard to say because it happened over the same timeframe.

One would be hard pressed to correlate the opiate epidemic with the old retirees feeding the slot machines, or any other crime, for that matter. What attraction, do you imagine, that a casino has for transients? I'd say about zero. Just randomly assigning blame for social ills based on something you heard needs some back-up, or at least some logical guesses as to why one relates to the other.


An increase in transients is usually related to the opening of more social programs in an area, and I don't think a casino fits that category.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 02:57 PM
 
Location: The ghetto
17,155 posts, read 8,804,580 times
Reputation: 13205
Quote:
Originally Posted by redplum33 View Post
I don't really know anything about Springfield. I'm just saying it would be naïve to think that organized crime doesn't have a role in major construction projects in the northeast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IWLC View Post
You can't just claim something based on no examples. So tell me how you know this - with concrete examples.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IWLC View Post
One would be hard pressed to correlate the opiate epidemic with the old retirees feeding the slot machines, or any other crime, for that matter. What attraction, do you imagine, that a casino has for transients? I'd say about zero. Just randomly assigning blame for social ills based on something you heard needs some back-up, or at least some logical guesses as to why one relates to the other.
I am not trying to be disrespectful but please do your own research.

It's common knowledge that mafia and construction go together. Ditto with casino and crime.

Here's a couple basic Google searches to get you started:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mafia+construction

https://www.google.com/search?q=casino+crime
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 03:26 PM
 
405 posts, read 254,623 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by redplum33 View Post
I am not trying to be disrespectful but please do your own research.

It's common knowledge that mafia and construction go together. Ditto with casino and crime.

Here's a couple basic Google searches to get you started:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mafia+construction

https://www.google.com/search?q=casino+crime

Two things on the Google searches you provided. Firstly, although they correlated an 8% increase in crime to casinos, I couldn't find any list of those crimes. Crimes can include speeding and walking out on a restaurant check, so, without that list the research means nothing.


Secondly, in regards to the mob and construction I still don't see how that relates to the casino. If they were building a hospital or an office building, would that be a factor in disapproving of their construction? It's pretty common knowledge that the unions and organized crime have had links back to before Jimmy Hoffa. So what's your point?


No matter what the attraction, there were/are factions against it. There are people who annually complain about the Big E, there are people who opposed Six Flags, some complain about Bright Nights traffic. I realize that some people never venture from their homes and can't understand why others do, but Jeez, the region can't survive on the convenience of empty streets. If you remember there was once talk of moving the Patriots to Western Mass. OMG, the whining and letters to the editor......
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 03:44 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,637 posts, read 28,452,188 times
Reputation: 50443
Quote:
Originally Posted by IWLC View Post
The Springfield mob is the strip clubs, a few bars and little else
Maybe now, but it used to be a lot worse. Northampton was a mess too before they jailed some of them and mostly put an end to the mob there. West Springfield used to have a problem--don't know if they still do.

Maybe it's hard to find studies to back up what the mob does, but when you hear things from people who know, there's probably some credibility to it. A Springfield restaurant owner told the person doing his taxes that all restaurants that buy mozzarella have to buy it from the mob. It sounds trivial but it's probably just the tip of the iceberg. Once they get their foot in the door, where does it end.

They love construction, restaurants, entertainment. Place it all in their beloved south end of Springfield, and you've got a recipe for a comeback on the mob. (I wonder how the residents of Longmeadow are taking this.)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 04:02 PM
 
405 posts, read 254,623 times
Reputation: 1031
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
I wonder how the residents of Longmeadow are taking this.

That should be the least of anyone's concerns. They are all set - what do they care if there are jobs for the rest of the peons in the area?


Let's have no construction, no restaurants, no entertainment - that will flush 'em out.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-15-2018, 04:33 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,637 posts, read 28,452,188 times
Reputation: 50443
Quote:
Originally Posted by IWLC View Post
That should be the least of anyone's concerns. They are all set - what do they care if there are jobs for the rest of the peons in the area?


Let's have no construction, no restaurants, no entertainment - that will flush 'em out.
Just saying that if I lived in one of the nicer towns I don't think I'd be too happy with the mess of traffic that rte 91 will become. It goes right though Longmeadow. Maybe they'll all move to East Longmeadow which is a pretty good town and not have to put up with greatly increased traffic and probably increased crime.

This thing is going to be open 24 hours a day. Never closes.

(I wonder how the elite around Wellesley MA would react to a proposal to dump a huge casino on rte 9 in their backyard.)

I would much rather have seen Boston invest in WMass with some business expansion--or something. But it is what it is. A resort casino. In the south end of Springfield. Still I hope it's successful, hope something can finally go right for Springfield.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top