Medford Council Balks At Encore's Planned Entertainment District

MEDFORD, MA — Medford city councilors are not on board with Encore Boston Harbor's plan to build an entertainment district across the street from its casino in Everett.

Encore presented a scaled-back version of its original plan, which reduced the size of its proposed concert venue from 1,800 to 999 seats, to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday. The plan also calls for 20,000 square feet of retail space, about 800 hotel rooms, 50,000 square feet of restaurant space, a parking garage with more than 2,300 spaces, a warehouse and green space.

In Medford, councilors are primarily concerned about the size of the concert venue, which they worry would compete with local venues. Councilor Nicole Morell, who proposed the council send a letter to the gaming commission formally opposing the project, said Encore's revised plan is just outside the parameters of its Surrounding Community Agreement.

At Tuesday's city council meeting, Morell asked her colleagues to oppose live entertainment presented by the casino, "unless it is under 1,000 or over 3,500 seats."

"Anything outside of this would be within direct violation of its Surrounding Community Agreement," Morell said.

Among the gaming commission's considerations is whether the district, which would connect to the casino via a pedestrian bridge over Broadway, is part of Encore's gaming establishment. That would subject it to the different regulations, the Boston Herald reported.

"Wynn Resorts' entertainment development meets the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s restriction of being less than 1,000 seats, and is the first step in fulfilling the city of Everett's long-planned Lower Broadway entertainment district," a spokesperson for the casino said. "Encore Boston Harbor has and continues to fulfill each and every one of its obligations in all of its Surrounding Community Agreements."

While Encore officials have touted the plan as a way to revitalize an industrial area – Wynn Resorts Development President Chris Gordon told the commission Thursday his company is "trying to make this a vibrant neighborhood" – local lawmakers are unconvinced.

Councilor Richard Caraviello called it a "backdoor way of getting entertainment in the building," which would hurt smaller venues like the Chevalier Theatre. These businesses would compete with the casino for the same entertainers, and they "don't have the deep pockets that Encore has," he added.

Caraviello also slammed Encore for failing to deliver on promises to its neighboring communities.

"At the end of the day, Encore did crap for everybody," he said. "They're not good neighbors to anybody."