Everett is several days away from a dramatic change.
The moment those doors open at the casino and hotel, the casino and hotel becomes the place of major undivided interest to nearly everyone living here.
It is giant and its effect will be felt in Everett.
Its opening is more like an explosion, a giant controlled explosion. The attraction to the casino and hotel will draw gamblers and cause addiction to gambling.
It may lead to suicides or to horrible crimes born of the disaster of losing all one’s money.
Some people in this city will lose their homes and ruin their lives at the casino.
Prostitution will flourish at the casino as it flourishes at every casino wherever they are located.
Unless you are seeking a prostitute, their appearance on the scene at the casino and hotel does not shake the world – and there are many people who believe prostitution ought to be legal in the first place.
Some experts believe there will be an uptick in local crime, the result of residents or those passing through losing all their money and leaving the casino and breaking into local homes or apartments or robbing businesses.
We don’t buy into this.
We do buy into the belief that the casino becomes the chief power in the city, that Everett City Hall takes a back seat to the casino.
The mayor who brought the casino to Everett now becomes subordinate to the power and the needs of the casino.
The casino and hotel rules.
The city is subordinate to its interests but tied to it.
Traffic and parking issues will be abundant. The greater the casino’s
success, the more massive the traffic tie up will be.
Everett has given up its sovereignty to a casino and hotel.
The casino’s success will be far greater than the problems that arise from it.
Again, let’s see what happens.