Casino supporters catch up in public relations battle - South

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Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff

Rich Saccone of Norfolk thinks casino supporters are starting to gain momentum.

After opponents of the Foxborough casino had revved up their social media campaign early this month, their principal Internet adversary was the website www.gamblefoxboro.com and an accompanying Facebook page.

It wasn’t much of a match. As of early this week, the website had generated one “like,’’ and the Facebook page had two “fans.’’

But the man who created the pages, Norfolk resident Rich Saccone, thinks casino supporters are ready to gain momentum.

Saccone, a senior at the University of Miami, said he created the pages and took a stand because he thinks Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn’s plan to build a casino on land leased from Patriots owner Robert Kraft would benefit all surrounding towns.

“Even if they are lower-end jobs, people need them,’’ he said.

Saccone said he is not a gambler, although he has been to casinos in Florida and Las Vegas, where his parents moved. He said he is frustrated with Foxborough residents who have “jumped on the bandwagon’’ to oppose the casino proposal without trying to work with developers to improve it.

Lately, Saccone has found it much easier to see like-minded participants in the public debate. Wynn has hired two public relations firms to respond to criticisms and organize supporters. They are also disseminating the message that a resort in Foxborough means thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue for the local government.

Wynn hired Sage Systems of Boston to take the pulse of the community. The company specializes in computerized data analysis and mapping technology for political campaigns.

He has also retained Scott Farmelant of Mills & Co. to help get the procasino group Jobs for Foxboro on its feet. At the Dec. 13 meeting of the Foxborough Board of Selectmen, many of the signs supporting the group were held by union members from other towns.

But the group’s chairman, Danny Flynn, is a Foxborough resident and union carpenter. “We’re trying to make sure the people of Foxborough get a chance to vote on this project. What we’re seeing now is a rush to judgment,’’ he said outside of the meeting.

Farmelant said last week that all 150 group members are town residents and more are signing on all the time. Steering Committee members will come forth with petitions and other support for the casino after New Year’s, he said, adding that hiring a public relations firm to help the effort “is nothing out of the ordinary.’’

“Developers do it all the time,’’ he said.

Farmelant also said a casino proposal on about 80 acres of the 200-acre site in question jives with the area’s current zoning and other entities, including the stadium and Patriot Place, just across the street.

“Certainly there are impacts of any project,’’ he said. “But time will tell when the design is brought forth.’’

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