Wynn Everett Decides To Put Casino Site Clean-up On Hold

Wynn Resorts has announced that the process of the environmental clean-up at the site of its $1.7 billion casino project in Everett has been put on hold. The president of Wynn Everett, Robert DeSalvio said that the next phase of clean-up will not take place because of the legal challenge filed by the city of Somerville last month against a state environmental license that was issued to the casino project.

The company had started in October 2015 to clean-up the Wynn Everett site which had earlier been the base for a Monsato chemical plant. The site was utilized by the heavy industry for decades and contains substantial levels of chemicals like lead, arsenic and copper based on the environmental tests that were conducted. Wynn Everett was supposed to carry out extensive environmental cleaning before the actual construction process was scheduled to commence.

The second phase of the cleanup would focus on the Mystic River as the Wynn Everett casino will be constructed pretty close to the river banks. The river was supposed to be dredged followed by the cleaning of the shorelines to start the development of waterfront features such as the harbor walk and docks. Wynn Everett has decided to shelve this for the moment in light of the legal challenge.

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In a statement, Robert DeSalvio, President Wynn Everett said,

We want to make sure we don’t run afoul of an environmental regulation or law. The long and the short of it is we’ve got to stop what we’re doing.

Wynn has been winding down all its activities related to the casino project after the legal appeal was filed by the city of Somerville last month. It has so far called off job fairs, stopped hiring and cancelled the groundbreaking ceremony. An initial meeting between the two parties and the state Department of Environmental Protection officials is expected to take place this week

The Mayor of Somerville Joseph Curtatone, who is a vocal opponent of the project called the latest announcement by DeSalvio a publicity stunt aimed at drawing away interest from the core issue of the project’s impact on the city, its inhabitants and its environment.

George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts has countered the charges made by the city of Somerville especially with regards to the environmental impact.

According to him the project will deliver a great deal of environmental benefits to the region.

He said that the project will result in the cleanup of the polluted industrial property and the river in addition to providing support for the regional subway system. Carlo DeMaria Mayor Everett has asked Somerville to withdraw its legal challenges saying that his city’s residents have spent a long time suffering from the contamination.