The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe says the Massachusetts Gaming Commission can't start soliciting bids for a non-Indian casino. The tribe is pursuing a casino in the southeastern part of the state. But opponents and non-Indian companies say region should be open to other bidders because the tribe is facing hurdles in the land-into-trust process. The tribe, however, claims the Massachusetts Gaming Commission must wait until the Bureau of Indian Affairs determines, for whatever reason, that it can't approve the land-into-trust application. “The Commission’s authority with regard to Region C is expressly limited to taking action only when, and if, the Secretary of the Interior determines that she ‘shall not’ take land into trust for the Tribe,” attorney Howard M. Cooper told the commission, The Taunton Daily Gazette reported. The Obama administration has promised to make a decision on the application this spring. A letter from Interior Solicitor Hilary Tompkins confirms the matter is a "top priority." Get the Story:
Tribe goes on the offensive (The Cape Cod Times 3/29)
Massachusetts Gaming Commission could vote next week on commercial casino issue (The Taunton Daily Gazette 3/29)
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