If Zoning Changes Don't Pass at Special Town Meeting, Election Will Still Be Held

In this special edition of our You Ask, Patch Answers feature, we'll be taking a look at the Aug. 20 special Town Meeting and Sept. 21 town referendum concerning the proposed Merrimack Valley Casino at 300 Ames Pond Drive.

Update- According to Jeff Morris, Director of Public Affairs for Penn National Gaming, if the proposed zoning changes are defeated at the Aug. 20 Special Town Meeting, Penn National will not be moving forward with the proposed Merrimack Valley Casino. 
Original Post- We've been getting a lot of questions on whether the Sept. 21 townwide referendum on the proposed slots-only casino at 300 Ames Pond Drive will still be held should the proposed zoning changes necessary to accommodate the facility fail to receive a two-thirds majority vote at Special Town Meeting on Tuesday. 

Even if the proposed zoning amendments fail to receive a two-thirds majority vote at Special Town Meeting, the Sept. 21 townwide referendum regarding the proposed slots-only casino will be held, according to Town Clerk Denise Graffeo. 

In order for Penn National Gaming to submit their application to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission before the Oct. 4 deadline for category 2 (slots parlor) applicants, the necessary zoning amendments must be approved at a Special Town Meeting and the proposal must receive approval at a townwide referendum. 

However, if the proposed zoning amendments are defeated at a the Aug. 20 Special Town Meeting, another Special Town Meeting could be scheduled to bring the proposed zoning amendments before residents again before the Oct. 4 deadline, according to Graffeo.

A second Special Town Meeting could potentially occur before or after the Sept. 21 townwide referendum, as long as it is held before the Oct. 4 submission deadline to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, according to Graffeo. 

Regardless of what happens at Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, one thing is certain- a townwide referendum vote regarding the proposed Merrimack Valley Casino will be held on Sept. 21.