Opinion

Editorial: Mashantucket land swap a good sign

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

"The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Town of Ledyard recently completed the transfer of two properties. The tribe turned over the ownership of the Clark Farm to the town and the town gave ownership of Indiantown Park to the tribe.

It was a significant moment for both entities. In the past, land issues involving the tribe and town were more likely to end up in a courtroom rather than a meeting room.

As noted by Tribal Council Chairman Michael Thomas, in the short term, both the tribe and the town get land they can use. But in the long term, the benefit is continued cooperation between the two. And as Mayor Susan Mendenhall noted, “That’s more valuable than money.”

It hasn’t always been easy for the town and the tribe, especially in the early years of the opening of the tribe’s hugely successful Foxwoods Resort Casino, and its amazing growth during the first 10 years. The unanticipated impact the venture had on Ledyard, and surrounding communities, caught everyone by surprise. And working out solutions to those problems were difficult, straining the relationship between both.

In that light, this small but significant land swap agreement bodes well for the future of both the tribe and Ledyard, and the entire region."

Get the Story:
Our view: Deal between Ledyard, Mashantuckets a good sign for future (The Norwich Bulletin 9/11)