Artist's rendering of the First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton, Massachusetts. Image from Steelman Partners / Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts broke ground on a $1 billion casino earlier this month as it awaits a decision on a rival project. The tribe has warned the Massachusetts Gaming Commission not to approve the $675 million project in Brockton. Some lawmakers are also concerned about the prospect of two casinos in the same region of the state. “Absent clear, conclusive, objective analysis that considers the competitive advantage a tax-free casino would command and how that advantage compromises revenues collected by the commonwealth at casinos that will be at a disadvantage by a sovereign competitor’s no-tax status, we also believe any such decision is inauspicious,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the commission, The Cape Cod Times reported. The tribe is building the First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton and the first phase will open by the summer of 2017. Taunton is less than 20 miles from Brockton. In the event the facility in Brockton opens, the state will lose out on a major source of revenue because a provision in the Class III gaming compact promises regional exclusivity to the tribe. The commission is expected to make a decision on the Brockton proposal by the end of the month. Get the Story:
Legislators ask delay in Brockton casino license review (The Cape Cod Times 4/20)
Lawmakers warn of lost gambling revenue if Brockton palace approved (The Boston Herald 4/20)
Group of lawmakers call for delay in vote on Brockton casino (The Boston Globe 4/20) Land-Into-Trust Documents:
Chairman Cedric Cromwell Announcement | Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Press Release | Bureau of Indian Affairs Press Release | Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn Letter to Chairman Cedric Cromwell | Record of Decision DOI Solicitor Opinion:
M-37029: The Meaning of "Under Federal Jurisdiction" for Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act (March 12, 2014)
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