Internet cafe removes request

Date: 1/31/2011

Jan. 31, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW — The group scheduled to meet with the Planning Board regarding a controversial proposed Internet cafe has pulled back its application.

According to Robyn Macdonald, the board's director, the group of Gerald and Jennifer Burritt and Sharon Keough were scheduled to appear before the board to continue discussions regarding the establishment, which would include sweepstakes gaming programs on its computers for which the cafe would award cash to winners.

That item, originally scheduled for 6 p.m. on the Feb. 1 agenda has been removed.

The board was in discussions with the East Longmeadow Police Department and the Attorney General's office to determine whether or not establishments of this kind broke any state laws.

According to media reports found through a search of the Web, similar Internet sweepstakes cafes have been recently raided in Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Texas, California, Alabama and Utah for suspicion of illegal gambling.



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