Gaming Commission adopts Community Mitigation Fund guidelines

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Dec. 18 approved guidelines for the first round of applications to the Community Mitigation Fund.

The fund was established under the state’s gaming law to help cities and towns offset costs related to the construction and operation of gaming facilities.

The Community Mitigation Fund statute created an annual deadline of Feb. 1 for applications from municipalities seeking mitigation funds. The commission established a one-time local reserve for the 2015 program, however, because communities may not yet be able to demonstrate impacts requiring mitigation.

The reserve, set at $100,000 for each eligible community, may be used to mitigate impacts that arise in the future, or for planning purposes around minimizing adverse impacts or maximizing benefits that may come from proximity to a gaming facility.

Eligible communities are those that have been designated a surrounding community, entered into a nearby community agreement with a licensee, or petitioned for surrounding community designation. Collectively, there are 24 communities in this category.

To access the reserve funds for 2015, each eligible community must submit an application to the commission by Feb. 1. Applicants will be able to submit details in support of their applications after the deadline, but the application itself must be submitted by the deadline to qualify for the reserve.

Applicants for non-reserve community mitigation funds do not need to have received or sought surrounding or nearby community designations, but must demonstrate real impacts to receive funding.

The fund contains $17.5 million from casino and slots-parlor licensing fees. When the licensed resort casinos in Springfield and Everett become operational, a projected $18 million per year in additional funds will be deposited into the fund.

For more information on the application process and requirements, visit www.massgaming.com.