New gambling cruise sales out of Provincetown, but future unclear

Thursday, June 15, 2000 | 9:59 a.m.

Tuesday, the night the Midnight Gambler took its first cruise, the Provincetown Licensing Board voted 3-2 to refer the operation for consideration by the Cape Cod Commission. Licensing agent Greta Holman said Provincetown wasn't singling out the Midnight Gambler, but members are concerned that water use, traffic and parking issues have not been addressed.

But it was unclear where such a referral might lead. Town permit coordinator Judith Oset said she told the board it may not have the authority to refer the matter to the commission.

"They are referring it to see what will happen. The board knows there may be no authority," she said.

Last year in Hyannis, another ship-borne gambling venture never left the dock after a referral to the commission. But that boat was more clearly subject to commission review.

The Midnight Gambler is using a privately owned pier, and there are no local permits or applications either required or pending, which makes the question of whether the referral is appropriate more complex, said Dorr Fox, the commission's chief regulatory officer.

"I'd like to say the licensing board needs to look at all the harbor uses, and they are all good uses, for Provincetown," said John Ciluzzi, co-owner of Midnight Gambler Co., which operates the cruise. "There does not seem to be a reason to single out one particular boat or industry. I'd like to be treated the same way everyone else is."

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