Former Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn, left, with Schaghticoke Tribal Nation Chief Richard Velky. Photo from STN
The state of Connecticut won't allow the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation to pursue a potential casino. The tribe on Tuesday night announced that the Secretary of the State accepted paperwork for a corporation it formed for the casino. But on Wednesday morning, the agency said tribe does not meet the requirements of Special Act 15-7, which restricts the process to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe. "Anyone can start a business, and we believe it should be easy to do. It appears in this case that the application meets the standard to create an LLC but not the requirements of the special act," Secretary Denise Merrill told The Connecticut Mirror. "We are looking into what additional action should be taken.” Special Act 15-7, which does not actually authorize a new casino, makes clear that the only "tribal business entity" that can be accepted by the Secretary is the one formed by the Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes. Section 1 reads:
"Tribal business entity" means the business entity registered with the Secretary of the State to do business in the state and owned exclusively by both the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut.The Schaghticokes are a separate tribe recognized by the state. The tribe was calling its casino company the Confluence of Rivers Tribal Business Entity, CT News Junkie reported. The Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes have received five proposals for the casino. Once they select a site, they will have to go back to the Connecticut Legislature to authorize the project. Get the Story:
State concedes error in Schaghticoke casino ‘authorization’ (The Connecticut Mirror 2/3)
Schaghticoke’s Denied Business Venture To Pursue A Third Casino (CT News Junkie 2/3)
Schaghticoke tribe pursues 3rd CT casino (The Greater New Milford Spectrum 2/3)
Another tribe to pursue state's 3rd casino (The New London Day 2/3)
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