Mayor surprises backers with casino reversal

BOSTON (AP) -- The mayor of Holyoke has reversed his staunch anti-casino position and will now entertain a proposal to bring a casino to the city.

Alex Morse announced Monday he was considering a proposal to develop a casino at the site of a former amusement park on Mount Tom. The 23-year-old Morse ran on a strong anti-casino platform when he defeated incumbent Mayor Elaine Pluta in Nov. 2011.

As recently as October, Morse wrote in an opinion column that a casino would undermine efforts to revitalize Holyoke's struggling economy.

Morse said while he remains opposed to casino gambling in general, he's worried that casino proposals in nearby Springfield would have a negative impact on Holyoke.

Several casino opponents attended Monday's news conference. One held a sign that read "Morse lied to Holyoke."