Leaders in the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts, are urging Gov. Deval Patrick (D) to negotiate a Class III gaming compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.
The tribe plans to build a casino in the town and has agreed to share an estimated $11 million a year in gaming revenues with the town, plus a four-percent tax on hotels and lodging. The tribe also agreed to $250 million in infrastructure improvements and to pay the town for municipal services. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is still preparing an environmental impact statement on the tribe's land-into-trust application. Patrick said he won't negotiate until a decision is made. Get the Story: