The owner of the Encore Boston Harbor casino has reached an agreement to expand its footprint in Everett.

The memorandum allows for up to two new hotels on property owned by Wynn Resorts on Lower Broadway. There will not be any gambling at the new hotels. It also calls for Wynn to pay up to $25 million for a potential new Commuter Rail stop in the area.

Outgoing Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria announced that the deal on Monday was struck "in the final hours" of his term.

"This agreement reflects years of work to ensure that any future development delivers real benefits for Everett residents," DeMaria said in a statement. "This agreement not only secures new sources of tax revenue, supports job creation and advances a long-anticipated commuter rail stop, but it also helps ensure that additional contaminated land is cleaned up and returned to productive use for our community."   

Mayor Robert Van Campen, who unseated the 18-year incumbent mayor in November, was sworn into office on Monday. "My idea is the deal was struck yesterday afternoon, really minutes before I took the oath of office," said Mayor Van Campen. "I'm focused today on getting my feet on the ground."

New Commuter Rail stop proposed

The agreement also calls for transportation improvements to help alleviate traffic in the area. 

Mayor Van Campen says the proposed Commuter Rail stop is currently situated behind Encore. His concern is that it won't fully activate the other side of Broadway, which is where he would prefer it. 

"My goal is to maximize benefits for the people of Everett, and my hope is that my predecessor through due diligence did make that happen with these deals, but we are still looking at them," said Mayor Van Campen.

The mayor says there are few approvals that have to be completed and the best-case scenario is that the hotels would be complete by 2028.

"I want to bring people into our community," Mayor Van Campen said. "I want to give them access. I want them to know that Everett is the hottest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." 

It's not the only big development project in the works for Everett. Last week, the Kraft Group reached a deal with Everett and the city of Boston to move forward with plans to build a soccer stadium for the New England Revolution along the Mystic River, not far from the casino. 

Encore Boston Harbor, one of three casinos in Massachusetts, opened in 2019.