On The Election
It was a hot, sultry primary day Tuesday.
When it all ended late Tuesday night with the results at city hall, well, the people had spoken loudly and clearly.
The election after all is the ultimate poll.
The vote of the people is the ultimate endorsement.
So many people invested so much in this primary election battle.
Stat Smith, Gerly Adrien and the rep all wanted very badly to win.
When all the votes were counted there was only one winner.
Putting your name on the ballot and getting out there among the people is all about having courage because it is hard walking among the people of Everett – and it is hard walking among the people in every American city and town when you have announced you are running for office.
Meeting voters isn’t easy.
Convincing people about what you want and who you are is very difficult stuff.
It is an impossible thing in many ways because each one of us who votes has different beliefs and feeling about what government ought to be doing.
This was exactly true in the rep race.
Stat Smith, Gurley Adrien and the rep all found out where the people stand on them not just as politicians seeking votes but as people living among them.
Wanting to serve in public office often brings out the best in a person.
This can be said of yesterday’s primary.
All three candidates comported themselves as the basically people they are.
We are all awed – and candidates for public of ce are no different.
There was no hate in this campaign, no violence, no racism (at least that I am aware of).
Adrien ran a strong campaign. Smith was totally invested in the campaign. The rep did his thing.
In the end, the people, those small thousands that voted, picked who they wanted.
The Springfield Experience
The early reports about the opening of the MGM casino are in – and most of them are very favorable.
More than 150,000 people visited the casino during the rst three days of operation last week.
Average attendance is expected to be about 15,000 people a day.
The Drop Kick Murphys played to a sellout crowd Saturday night.
Local restaurant owners stayed open later in Springfield the night of the concert.
The restaurant owners said business was up substantially, according to reports in the Republican, Spring eld’s daily newspaper.
Also, a developer announced this week he is building a $15 million Hilton Hotel near the MGM casino.
The MGM itself has 250 rooms – and they were all sold out for the opening.
Looks like a rather prosperous addition to Springfield at first blush.
Those of us here wondering what the opening of the Encore casino and hotel will be like – well – it will be a great deal larger than the MGM’s opening.
My bet is it will be at least three to four times larger in its first three days, and huge number of visitors after that.
The casino hotel will be booked for a year, is my bet. There will be nothing like the suites at the casino hotel in Everett.
No Boston hotel can match the size and décor in the rooms that will impress at the Encore.
The casino itself will also be mobbed.
Wynn Resorts isn’t looking for the forlorn type who come to the casino to play .05 cent slot machines while wearing their oxygen tanks.
The new Encore will be pricey by design.
And guess what – it won’t matter who owns the place.
It will still be packed.