Town Council Hoping to Keep Lottery HQ in Braintree

BRAINTREE, MA — With the Massachusetts Lottery looking to leave Braintree, the town council is hoping to convince them to pass on a move.

The council voted Tuesday night to send a letter to State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg encouraging her to consider keeping the Lottery in town.

“Braintree’s unique location on the South Shore and close proximity to Boston, major highways of Route 93, Route 3 and Route 128 make it easily accessible by car and ample parking for lottery customers. Braintree is accessible by public transportation including the Red Line and Commuter Rail,” the letter said.

The Lottery recently announced that they have issued a request for proposals for a move closer to Boston, as part of an attempt to hire new talent. A small presence would remain and operate as the South Shore office.

“This should be a concern for all of us as it shows the changing makeup of the local economy. There are a number of technology companies in the MetroWest and metro area. I do not believe we have enough of these areas and this is the future of the economy. We do not have enough biotech, we do not have enough life sciences, we do not have enough information technology,” Councilor Michaels Owens said.

Owens added that the move is being done as the Lottery moves to online games, showing the need for more tech companies in the area.

“Braintree needs to be aggressive in attracting these companies and keeping them. There is no reason why Braintree can’t be a tech hub. These are the jobs we want,” Council President Sean Powers said.

The measure to send a letter passed unanimously.

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