Casino Commonwealth

Looking beyond the filings

Since January 15, private investigators led by the Massachusetts State Police Enforcement and Investigations Bureau, have been seeking, then gathering, and finally pouring through a literal mountain of information about the 11 applicants for gaming licenses who want to own casinos and a slot parlor in the Commonwealth.
Investigators are said to be studying answers given to 300 qualifiers and that they are presently searching through 21,000 pieces of paper as well as other documents relevant to the investigations now ongoing.
To date, it is not known if investigators have uncovered any wrongdoing or enough questions about filings they requested to invalidate anyone from the application process.
When asked Friday morning if information gathered so far could lead to the invalidation of any of the present applications, Gaming Commission spokesperson Elaine Driscoll said this: "The investigations remain active and ongoing. Any discussion concerning the results of the investigations would compromise the process."
Indeed.
For know, the public has to be satisfied with the Gaming Commission's press releases and public utterances at their open meetings held throughout the month and every month until such time as licenses are awarded.
Also, according to Driscoll, the Gaming Commission is now concentrating on investigations having to do with those who have applied for the slot parlor license rather than the 11 applicants for casino licenses.
"Slots are prioritized right now because that licensing process is less complex, " Driscoll said.
Spectrum, an investigation firm specializing in casino licensing background checks, is fully capable of that, and so much more.
In its rather circumspect description of itself on-line, Spectrum praises itself for having investigators who are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also, each investigator employed by the firm is equipped with the latest technology available including a laptop computer, digital cameras, and/or video cameras. They are also adept at interviewing, studying document and analyzing them.
One has to wonder where they begin when trying to sort out the financials of say, Suffolk Downs Richard Fields, Everett hopeful Steven Wynn and Milford applicant David Nunes. And it isn't just those three but nearly every major figure reporting to them as well as financials of their various companies and their holdings and their personal records, which includes who they are as human beings. Is there drug use? Are they alcoholic? Do they have mistresses? What are bad habits if any at all. What are their driving records like. What do the investigations reveal in their entirety about these applicants as human beings?
The scrutinizing of casino hopefuls in Massachusetts is well underway.
It is a time for nearly everyone of any importance working in the industry and trying to locate here to be vetted, and closely.
In this business, sources claim you are only as good as your last vetting.
Sources familiar with the vetting process claim that at the first hint of wrongdoing by any of the applicants, the scrutiny might conceivably go from state to federal and that every effort would be made to record or to listen in on cell-phone communications as well as to conduct round the clock surveillance.