Mohegan Tribe signs agreement for Massachusetts casino bid


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

The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut reached another agreement for its commercial casino bid in Massachusetts.

The tribe signed a "surrounding community" agreement with the city of Boston. The deal includes $30 million upfront, a minimum of $18 million a year, plus $45 million for transportation and infrastructure projects.

"We are very happy to say today that we have a deal with the City of Boston," said Chairman Kevin Brown said in a statement, The New London Day reported. "The Mohegan Tribe has a long history of being good neighbors in New England. And the approach we have taken to this agreement -- and all of our surrounding community agreements -- is reflective of that history."

The tribe is planning to build the $1 billion Mohegan Sun Massachusetts near Boston. Mayor Marty Walsh wanted voters in his city to have a say on the project but he dropped his request after reaching the surrounding community agreement.

The tribe has a "host community" agreement with the city of Revere, where the casino will be located. Voters there approved the project by a wide margin in a local referendum in February.

The tribe is competing for the eastern Massachusetts license. The other bidder is Wynn Resorts, a company owned by billionaire Steve Wynn that wants to build in the city of Everett

Walsh and Wynn Resorts failed to reach a surrounding community agreement. It will now be up to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to determine how to address the impacts on Boston.

Walsh said he will boycott those discussions, which could sway the commission to the Mohegan project. However, Walsh insisted that he hasn't endorsed the tribe over Wynn.

Get the Story:
Boston Reaches Impact Deal With Mohegan Sun (WBUR 7/11)
Mohegan deal nets Boston $30M upfront (The Boston Herald 7/11)
Boston reaches deal with developer planning nearby casino (Reuters 7/11)
Mohegan Sun signs 'surrounding community' agreement with Boston (The New London Day 7/11)
Walsh to boycott casino hearings on compensation (The Boston Globe 7/11)

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Mohegan Tribe looks elsewhere as casino returns fall at home (7/10)

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