Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler, left, and Mohegan Tribe Chairman Kevin Brown appeared at a hearing on March 17 to support a bill to authorize more tribally-operated casinos. Photo from CT Jobs Matter / Twitter
The leaders of Connecticut's two federally-recognized tribes are defending their gaming operations after a swipe by a non-Indian rival in neighboring Massachusetts. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe operate two of the largest gaming facilities in the world. They are proposing to develop as many as three new casinos, including one that would compete with a non-Indian project in Massachusetts. In response, MGM Resorts International Chairman and CEO Jim Murren ridiculed the proposal as a "box of slots." "That's not entertainment, I can tell you that," he told reporters as the non-Indian company broke ground on an $800 million casino in downtown Springfield, just a few miles from the Massachusetts-Connecticut state line. The tribes haven't announced details of any of the proposed operations, which are still under consideration in the Connecticut Legislature. But during an appearance on WATR-AM yesterday, Mashantucket Chairman Rodney Butler and Mohegan Chairman Kevin Brown defended their gaming operations as first rate, the Associated Press reported. MGM previously partnered with the Mashantucket Tribe on a $700 million MGM-branded casino expansion that opened in 2008. The deal ended in late 2013. The MGM casino in Massachusetts is due to open in the fall of 2017. Get the Story:
Tribal chairman take issue with MGM’s ‘box of slots’ comment (AP 4/1)
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