TAUNTON - The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe said Monday it plans to open a casino on reservation land here in the summer of 2017, an aggressive timetable that could bolster the tribe's case to state regulators.
Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell announced the scheduled opening at a City Hall news conference Monday afternoon.
The new details come as the state Gaming Commission decides whether the Mashpee will have the sole right to operate a resort casino in Southeastern Massachusetts. A rival plan in Brockton, about 20 miles from the Taunton site, is also vying for the state license. Under federal law, the 1,300-member Mashpee tribe has the right to open a casino without the state’s blessing, but the tribe wants to be the sole resort casino in the region. The Mashpee reached a deal with the state in 2013 for exclusive rights, agreeing to pay a 17 percent tax in exchange. But the Gaming Commission eventually grew impatient with delays in the tribe’s efforts to win federal approval of reservation land, and invited private developers to submit competing plans. But as Mass Gaming & Entertainment unveiled plans for a $677 million casino and hotel on the site of the Brockton Fairgrounds, the Mashpee received approval of its reservation. Last month, a group of Taunton property owners filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s designation of the site as a Native American reservation. Advertisement If the Gaming Commission approved the Brockton casino, the tribe could open without paying state tax. The decision would also put two large casinos in close proximity. The Gaming Commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday in Mashpee for an update on the tribe’s status. A vote on the Brockton proposal is scheduled this spring. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe put an arm around Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye during a news conference held to unveil the new designs and construction schedule of the casino.| < Prev | Next > |
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