Morse still wants regional casino meeting

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - He was against casinos, then for them and now he's changed his mind again.

Despite Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse's change of heart this week, he says he still wants to hold a regional meeting to talk about preparing for the impact of a casino in Western Massachusetts.

Yet another surprising change of heart from Mayor Alex Morse.

“I've decided that no casino will come to the city of Holyoke,” Morse said.

Mayor Morse announced Holyoke is once again out of the running for a casino.

“I didn't hear about that, isn't that interesting, so, that makes absolutely no sense to me,” said Holyoke’s Jonathan Warner who is in favor of casinos.

To add to the confusion, Morse says he is moving forward with plans to meet with nearby mayors and town representatives to talk about what will happen if a casino is located nearby. 

Morse says while he's not supporting a casino here, he is planning to stay active in the process to bring a casino to Western Massachusetts, for many reasons, one being he wants to know Holyoke residents will be considered for job opportunities.

Besides holding several meetings, Morse says he plans to maintain a presence with the state Gaming Commission.

“We're going to be advocating for designation as a surrounding community that will, for one, enhance mitigation efforts, and number two, allow me to really push for revenue sharing agreements here in Western Massachusetts,” Morse said.

As Morse moves forward with his new game plan, those who live and work in Holyoke, are still digesting the news.

“I don't get why he changed his mind so quickly. but I'm glad he did. I just think there's a lot of confusion out there,” said Nick’s Nest owner Jennifer Chateauneuf, who also lives near one of the proposed casino sites in Springfield.

The regional meeting with local mayors and representatives is scheduled for Monday.