Slots Developer to Meet with Selectmen on Wednesday

Representatives from the Cordish Co. plan to meet with members of the Board of Selectmen at Town Hall on Wednesday to go over plans to possibly build a slots parlor at Liberty Tree Mall.

On Tuesday night, selectmen told about 60 people that filled the Toomey Meeting Room that they did not have any further details beyond what has been reported in the press.

“We have no details and no further information,” said Selectman Gardner Trask.

Selectmen plan to meet with a Cordish representative in groups of one or two on Wednesday to hear more details and ask questions. The meetings will not be public and are limited in number to avoid violations of the Open Meeting law.

A public meeting to hear from the company has been scheduled for March 5.

May of those in attendance live at River Run condominiums on neighboring Abington Road.

Town Manager said that Cordish has not submitted and written proposals or

“They certainly have not made a decision on Danvers,” Marquis said, noting that nowhere on the company’s paperwork submitted to the Gaming Commission did it mention Danvers.

Marquis said he was first contacted by Joseph Weinberg of Cordish on Jan. 10.

“We are one of at least two communities they have identified for a slots-only proposal with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission,” Marquis said.

The company did not identify the other community any more than to say it is not on the North Shore.

“They certainty have to make a decision on Danvers,” Marquis said.’

Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Gaming Commission, said on Tuesday that PPE Gaming had not notified the commission about whether it is seeking a resort casino or slots-only license or indicated its preferred location but it will have to tell the commission soon.

If PPE chooses Danvers, Marquis said the town would be eligible for a $50,000 grant to help the town conduct studies to help it understand any needed infrastructure improvements and conduct a “technical review and analysis.”