"Maybe Massachusetts legislators’ minds had wandered to Vegas when they came up with the shotgun wedding approach for the first round of casino licensing in southeastern Massachusetts. The result — as we’re seeing in Freetown, Lakeville and Taunton — may not exactly create a match made in heaven.
When the Massachusetts Legislature approved the casino gambling legislation signed by Gov. Deval Patrick last November, it authorized Native American tribes to get the first shot at a casino license in southeastern Massachusetts. But they had to act fast to negotiate a casino compact with the governor. The gaming legislation set up several deadlines and stipulations in the confusing arrangement that has made it almost impossible for the tribes to fully explain their proposals to the public, give municipalities an opportunity to negotiate and ratify a sound Intergovernmental Agreement, and hold a referendum." Get the Story: