A classic Boston stew — politics plus sour grapes — stirred by citizen activists who are willing to take on the powerful to preserve something more precious than gold: community.
Last September, state gaming regulators awarded Wynn a license to build a casino in Everett. After a statewide ballot question to ban casinos was defeated in November, it seemed like a sure bet. Perhaps it still is. But it will take longer for Wynn to hit the jackpot, due to assorted lawsuits and investigations. An Olympics might roll into town before anyone rolls the dice in Everett.
Rivals who lost out to Wynn are part of the mission to delay and obstruct. An ethics complaint against state gaming commission chairman Steve Crosby was filed by Charles A. Baker III, a lawyer and political operative who represented Suffolk Downs, the partner of rival bidder Mohegan Sun, which is also suing the gaming commission. The ethics complaint was dismissed; the lawsuit lives on, for now.
But what really drives the stop-casino effort is resistance from neighboring Charlestown, where nearly 70 percent of the turnout for a state referendum voted to repeal the state’s gambling law. There, Wynn’s commitment to a gambling mecca runs up against Evelyn Addante’s commitment to a beloved community garden, which lies near an already traffic-choked Sullivan Square.
“He was welcomed with open arms in Everett. He didn’t realize the level of concern in Charlestown,” said Addante, a retired urban planner who believes a casino will only worsen traffic.
Casino opponents are helped by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who is also suing the state gaming commission in an effort to block Wynn. The anti-casino effort gained traction — and conspiracy theorists — when Attorney General Maura Healey asked the state to hold off on giving Wynn a crucial environmental permit until an independent traffic study is completed.
Healey lives in Charlestown, and she and Walsh both get political advice from veteran consultant Michael Goldman. But Healey said she is only advocating for “common sense” and “the public interest.”
The AG’s call for an independent traffic study is consistent with previous concerns she has expressed about casinos. It draws cheers from Charlestown residents like Rebecca Love, a 36-year-old nurse practitioner. “I would like to applaud her leadership,“ she said.
As for Walsh, who did not get Love’s vote in the last mayoral election, the mother of three now believes “he is fighting with the voice of the people against a very powerful entity.”
But state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack is sticking with the current, Wynn-financed review, which is standard for this type of traffic proposal.
To win over Charlestown hearts, Wynn is pouring money into civic events like the Bunker Hill parade. The Wynn team is also hard at work pitching its traffic mitigation plan. The overall package totals $76.7 million and includes $10.9 million worth of immediate upgrades to Sullivan Square and $45 million for long-term improvements. According to a representative, the Wynn team has met with Charlestown residents six times since last year, and has held more than 100 one-on-one meetings “with Charlestown citizens, business owners, political and civic leaders.”
Part of Wynn’s pitch is also the argument that new development at nearby Assembly Square accounts for 45,000 additional cars a day, while a new casino will only bring in an estimated 20,000 car trips per day. So what’s the big deal?
Who says the casino will “only” generate 20,000 new car trips? The Wynn-hired consultant. But the Wynn representative says not to worry, the state gaming commission and affected municipalities have all hired their own consultants to review such conclusions.
Over the past few weeks, the spokesman said, about 1,500 Charlestown residents have signed up as Wynn supporters. Given Charlestown’s population of approximately 17,000, that leaves about 15,500 more to go.
One way to resolve the matter would be to let Charlestown vote, which is what Boston wants. Then Wynn would really know where he and his casino stand.
Meanwhile, expect to hear more from Charlestown. This community has a strong protest tradition, stemming from its historic stand against urban renewal in the 1960s. Those old activists didn’t stop it, but they forced the city to change its scope.
The stakes are even higher today, for Wynn and for Charlestown.
Joan Vennochi can be reached at vennochi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @Joan_Vennochi.