Edward Carroll: Make Plant a Hotel/Casino

The following was submitted by .

I am a candidate for the office of State Senator for the Second Essex District (i.e., Salem, Peabody, Danvers, Beverly, and Topsfield). I am running because I would like to see an increase in employment in the Second Essex District and I would like to see the residential property tax reduced or eliminated.

Therefore, if I am elected, my proposal for the eyesore that is the present in Salem would be to replace it with a casino/hotel complex.

The site is a 65-acre parcel of waterfront land, which is sufficient space for a casino complex. The Salem harbor is a deep water harbor. Instead of unsightly coal ships, I envision international cruise ships entering and docking at our port.

We already have a ferry service from Salem to Boston that would bring tourists from the Boston hotels.

Restaurants and shopping areas throughout the district will be thriving from the overflow of people from the casino complex. This would truly be what Mayor Driscroll calls our Rt. 128. In fact, I would call it our highway to financial prosperity.

At one time Salem was the leading seaport on the East Coast and brought tremendous financial revenues through the international trade. At present, this district is rich in tourists dollars due to its water access, and Salem could easily become, once again, the crown jewel. Salem has easy access because of the trains, water ferries, buses, private yachts, and can even accommodate cruise ships. A casino complex would thrive due to our unique deep-water harbor.

However, I would have two conditions to the project. First, I would demand that all employment be preferential to citizens from the district, and secondly, I would demand that for every dollar coming into the complex, a penny must be put into a district pool to lower residential property taxes.

Just think of the possibilities for our district, with increased tourism, high
employment, and low residential property taxes.

Edward Carroll

Salem