The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts, reached a sizable casino agreement on Friday.

The tribe agreed to share revenues from the proposed casino. . The base payment starts at $7 million and will increase by 3.1 percent annually or by the rate of the consumer price index, whichever is higher.

The tribe agreed to collect a four percent tax on hotel rooms. All proceeds will be turned over to the town.

Up front, the tribe will pay for $250 million in infrastructure improvements. They include: $172 million in transportation upgrades; $13 million in electric upgrades; $12.4 million in natural gas upgrades; $22.5 million in water upgrades; and $26.3 million in sewer and wastewater upgrades.

The tribe also agreed to buy two police cruisers and two ambulances and pay for the hiring and training of eight police officers and 16 firefighters, a cost estimated at more than $2 million. The tribe will finance a compulsive gambler program every year.

The 43-page document will go before voters this Saturday. Even if it passes, the tribe must still gain approval from the state to conduct Class III gaming.

Get the Story:
Casino foes say document being withheld (The Boston Globe 7/23)
Two meetings to discuss casino impact (The New Bedford Standard-Times 7/23)
Sweetened casino deal gains ground (The Boston Globe 7/21)
Tribe, town reach deal: Casino proposal still faces several hurdles (The Boston Herald 7/21)
Tribe, Mass. Town To Pitch Deal To Voters (The New London Day 7/21)
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Wampanoag tribe lands tentative deal with Middleboro on casino payments (The Providence Journal 7/21)
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Casino deal one of richest in U.S. (The Brockton Enterprise 7/20)