Indian Gaming

The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut will pursue a license for a commercial casino in the Catskills region of New York.

In November 2013, voters approved an expansion of gaming that authorized up to seven non-Indian casinos. One of the would be located in the Catskills, a region about 90 minutes north of New York City.

The tribe is already working with developer Louis Cappelli to build a $600 million casino at the Concord Resort Hotel. Talk of a project at a different site is premature, a gaming executive said.

"It's very difficult to be selected for two projects in one state when you have a process like this," Michael Etess, CEO of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, told The Albany Business Review. "We're keeping our eyes open on everything but we have a lot of time and effort with Mr. Capelli in the Catskills and that is our focus."

New York is part of the tribe's strategy throughout New England and the East Coast. In addition to Mohegan Sun on the reservation in Connecticut, the tribe operates the commercial Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania.

The tribe is also bidding on license for a commercial casino in eastern Massachusetts. The $1.3 billion Suffolk Downs would be located near Boston.

Artist's rendering of proposed $1.3 billion Mohegan Sun casino in Massachusetts. Image from Mohegan Sun Massachusetts

Get the Story:
Casinos Eyeing Catskills Makeover (The Jewish Voice 1/9)
Mohegan Sun not gunning for casino on site of NY state prison (The Albany Business Review 1/8)
Revere mayor: Casino no problem (The Boston Herald 1/8)

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Mohegan Tribe works with unions for Massachusetts casino (1/7)