Since we raised the question some months back, there has been no answer from city hall or from the mayor’s money manager, Eric Demas, about whether or not the casino has paid the city what it is owed.
We believe this is a good question for the city government to answer.
If the casino has paid its tab to the city under the Host Agreement on time and in full, well, that’s great.
The city council might even consider a resolution thanking Encore for paying its tab in full during such a difficult time when it cannot run at full steam.
Right from the start, the casino was late with its payments to the city – months late – and then it changed how it paid the city from directly paying the city to directly paying the state which then sends the money to the city.
Where exactly are we in this dance is what the voters and taxpayers of this city need to know.
Has Encore paid up or has it not paid up? Where are they in this process?
If they are not paid up, what is the city doing to make a demand for what is owed?
The casino and hotel have both been a blessing and a liability.
The promise of an endless rich stream of money for the city treasury has been dramatically altered by the COVID-19 and the restrictions placed on doing business at the casino and across the land.
How this plays out in the future is anyone’s guess right now.
Will everything return to normal or will the new normal cause Encore to seek a reduction in what it pays the city?
These are questions the mayor and his CFO must speak about with transparency and honesty.
Right now, the city has little to nothing to relate about how much or how little Encore has paid and how much or how little is owed.
The people need to know.
The city is duty-bound to report where Encore stands. Where Encore stands is where the city stands.
If Encore is behind, then the city is in trouble.