Casino Vote Citywide or Just E. Boston: O'Malley Only City Councilor to Support Citywide

District 6 Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley was the only councilor to support a citywide vote on having a casino come to Boston at Suffolk Downs. 

On Wednesday, the Boston City Council voted, 12-1, to allow an East Boston only vote, with O'Malley being the 1. O'Malley also proposed an amendment that would've allowed for a citywide vote and a Ward 1 vote, and a veto power given to East Boston in case the citywide vote did not support a casino. The amendment was not supported, and failed, 10-3.

"I'm standing up for what i believe in, and what I think is the best for the city of Boston," O'Malley told Patch. "Because there’s no question that a proposed casino will impact Suffolk Downs, will impact East Boston more than city. But also there is no question it will affect the entire city. That’s why every Bostonian should have the opportunity to weigh in on this issue."

"You cannot equate any other development currently going in Boston, to the mere fact of the casino is that there is mitigation package proposed and reached in agreement, by the (Menino) administration and Suffolk Downs that will count in the tens of millions of dollars show this is a complete different situation. The mere fact the Legislature prescribes a referendum vote for a proposed casino, it cannot be compared with another development project in the neighborhood," said O'Malley. 

The state divided the Commonwealth into three regions in which one casino could be sited in each region. The casino would still have to go through a process with the state's Gaming Commission. Boston, Everett, or Milford are the three municipalities determined to have one casino between the three.