Do both at once, by letting a developer transform the Hynes into a gambling mecca in the heart of Boston.

"If we're really going to maximize revenue for the Commonwealth, then why not do a casino at the Hynes?" said state Senator Michael W. Morrissey, who is cochairman of the Government Regulations Committee, which has authority over gambling-related bills. "You get more money from this one idea, upfront, one time, and they could be up and running in a year."

The state could sell the Hynes and a casino license to the highest bidder, thereby helping the state cope with its fiscal crunch, said Morrissey, a Quincy Democrat. Although casino operators would probably jump at the opportunity, it would mean a vast change in character for one of Boston's toniest neighborhoods, and Morrissey said any such idea would have to be approved by the city's voters.

But Morrissey said the proposal could gain currency due to the budget shortfall and wide reluctance to discuss new taxes. Morrissey said selling the Hynes and a casino license could net the state more than $500 million, with tax revenue from gambling coming on top of that.

"He said the vast floor space of the Hynes would easily accommodate a casino, and with the new convention center in South Boston scheduled to open next June, some lawmakers have said the state should unload perhaps its most expensive piece of real estate. The hotels and restaurants that typically surround casinos are already there," Morrissey said, "and the city would benefit greatly from a piece of the taxes, as well as the jobs a casino would generate."

In addition, the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard, the state's only federally recognized Indian tribe, continues to look for a casino site in southeastern Massachusetts. Even with a deal on a site, however, the tribe will need state approval before opening a casino. 슬롯