Hard Rock expressing interest in Everett casino

EVERETT, Mass. (WWLP-AP) - Everett's mayor says he's had preliminary talks with Hard Rock International about building a casino in the city.

No formal proposal has been made, but Mayor Carlo DeMaria told the Boston Herald he's had discussions with Hard Rock and Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming about a 40-acre industrial site near the Mystic River.

A spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission says it had not been contacted about any plans for Everett and the Herald said the companies did not respond to requests for comment.

Hard Rock had earlier expressed interest in developing a casino in western Massachusetts, first planning on developing a site at the Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke, and then expressing interest in an unspecified site somewhere in Springfield.

Currently, Ameristar, MGM, and Penn National Gaming are proposing casino sites in Springfield, with Mohegan Sun hoping to develop a site in Palmer. Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette told 22News that he had been in talks with two casino developers last month, but he would not reveal the identities of the developers, or where they would propose to build.

If a proposal emerges in Everett, just north of Boston, it would likely compete for a casino license with Suffolk Downs horse track in East Boston.