The Wynn Conundrum;
We Suggest a New Owner
It is the opinion of the Leader Herald that Wynn Boston Harbor should not be the licensee for the project now being built despite being so monumentally important to the people of this city and its future financial well-being.
Steven Wynn’s appalling behavior and subsequent sale of all his stock in the company he founded as well as him resigning from his position as the company’s president is not enough to set the record straight; not nearly enough especially by today’s more stringent and remorseless standards.
Steve Wynn’s actions against women employees and women in general, and the efforts of his underlings to crush all complaints about sexual harassment as revealed in the Wall Street Journal, have set the stage.
This is not a play where the lead actor fails miserably the first time around and gets a second chance to rehabilitate himself.
The record must show, as the Wall Street Journal has written, that Wynn Resorts has not acted in a legal and upright fashion to remain a license holder in Everett.
In addition, the company’s record of inaction and obstruction with its women employees who sought redress for horrific situations they endured, is so deplorable there is no coming back from this abyss.
Even if Wynn Resorts fires all its top management and its chief lawyer not much is going to change about the company’s rancid abhorrent culture.
What seemed like a great deal for Everett in the first instance is turning out to be anything but that with a corporate partner who did not tell the truth and the lead executive of the company bearing his name who was a sexual degenerate.
Mr. Wynn’s excesses alone should invalidate Wynn Resorts from carrying on here.
Wynn Resorts and Wynn Boston Harbor Casino and Hotel have become embarrassments to Everett, to the Gaming Commission and to the State of Massachusetts.
Who wants an embarrassment as a partner?
What good does a pariah business ignoring the rights of its employees do for the city of Everett?
The Gaming Commission should rescind Wynn’s license.
Councilor Simonelli’s Apology
We take Councilor Stephen Simonelli’s apology for his ill-advised statement on Facebook at face value for what it is – a heartfelt apology for what he wrote that upset so many people of race and color in this city.
We remind the councilor that he has a serious responsibility of representing the people of this city and that overt remarks even said in jest about our Haitian brothers and sisters, are unwarranted and inappropriate.
Knowing Councilor Simonelli as we do, we accept his apology but in the understanding that in the future he must modulate his tone on Facebook, and to be aware, as all of us who use Facebook are aware, that even the most innocuous statement by an Everett city councilor can hurt other people.
A Very Classy Fundraiser
The Leonard Family of Everett hosted a fundraiser for Governor Charlie Baker at their stately and spacious turn of the century home last week.
Dozens of prominent Everett residents, politicians, and businesspeople attended.
For Dennis Leonard, this was an opportunity to show his friendship with the governor, who remains the most popular governor in the United States as of this writing.
We thank Mr. Leonard for hosting the fundraiser for Governor Baker who has become a great friend of the city of Everett.