Wonderland faces no future

When the Governor and the legislature talk beyond each other nothing that matters to working people really matter.

Like the state’s three other tracks, Wonderland Park, the former greyhound racing facility, is facing an uphill climb in the weeks after expanded gambling talks faltered on Beacon Hill.
The Revere track, a simulcast wagering parlor since a voter-approved dog racing ban took effect Jan. 1, 2010, was a loser in last month’s gambling bill drama, missing out on a chance to bid for a slot machine license or a chance to partner with nearby Suffolk Downs in an effort to launch a casino.

Gov. Deval Patrick has blamed lawmakers for sending him a gambling bill he had indicated he would not support and urged the Legislature to reconvene and pass casino-only legislation. Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere), a former Wonderland employee, said that in Revere, residents are still shocked that Patrick didn’t go along with legislation allowing two of the four racetracks to add slot machines.

“Around here, people here they just can’t believe that the governor did it,” she said. “He’s playing a game with all these peoples’ lives. It’s very sad. It’s disappointing. These are real people.”