Questioning figures?

The Boston Herald included this mind bending statistic from the amnesiac Clyde Barrows (who couldn't remember his most recent paid gambling job in Maine when asked during a public hearing) ---

Last year, Massachusetts residents accounted for 31 percent of the patrons at Foxwoods and 17 percent at Mohegan Sun, according to the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.


This is frankly, confusing!
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Since CT reports Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun have fallen by 7.5 percent to $736.4 million for the first six months of 2009 compared to $796 million, it's truly puzzling.

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According to Claude's own report that he provided for legislators --

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in his chart labelled "SPENDING BY STATE RESIDENTS AT CONNECTICUT RESORT CASINOS AND RHODE ISLAND AND MAINE SLOT PARLORS" for the year 2008, Massachusetts residents spent ---

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Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun $709.0M [million]

Twin River/Newport Grand $210.8M [million]

Hollywood Slots $.6M

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One of the striking statistics is that the State of Maine actually more than doubled their casino spending after Hollywood Slots opened. In other words, Maine residents continued to travel to CT and spend about $30 million per year. Curious indeed! Was that when Claude was campaigning to expand gambling in Maine?

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Consider this --

In 2005, Claude reports that Maine residents spent $35.1 million in CT.

In 2006, Maine residents added $36.4 million at Hollywood Slots, still spending $33.1 million in CT.

In 2007, $43.8 million at Hollywood Slots. In CT, $32.7 million (and they also discovered RI that year and spent $.4 million).

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Maine seems to make the argument that expanding gambling in Massachusetts won't "bring home the revenue."

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Or maybe it raises questions about the figures. Where did the numbers come from?

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Casinos are not the answer
Casino Gambling, Question #3 & Clyde Barrows
Gambling as Investment?
Hollywood Slots