Opinion: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe wrong on casino outlook
Friday, December 14, 2012
Filed Under: Casino Stalker | Opinion
More on: cedric cromwell, massachusetts, wampanaog
"As I read Cedric Cromwell's letter ("Tribal casino will benefit everyone," Dec. 11 Your View), I became very concerned with some of his statements. Not surprised, but very concerned. He seems to either not understand the process he is involved in or is deliberately misleading the public as to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's pursuit of a casino.
Mr. Cromwell states "we place great value in our legally protected right to conduct gaming in our ancestral homeland." If he is referring to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, he is misquoting it. IGRA was enacted "to regulate the conduct of gaming on Indian lands." Indian lands is defined as "all lands within the limits of any Indian reservation; and any lands title to which is either held in trust by the United States for the benefit of any Indian tribe or individual or held by any Indian tribe or individual subject to restrictions by the United States against alienation and over which an Indian tribe exercises governmental power."
The Mashpee tribe has no such lands. Furthermore, the tribe lacks the ability to acquire those lands."
Get the Story:
Allin Frawley: Tribal chairman's comments fly in face of the facts (The New Bedford Standard-Times 12/14)
Also Today:
Gaming commission chair predicts slot parlor in Massachusetts in a year (WCVB 12/13)
Related Stories:
Massachusetts gaming panel to consider other bids for casino (12/12)
Cedric Cromwell: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on casino path (12/10)
http://www.indianz.com/IndianGaming/2012/025755.asp
Your View: Tribal chairman's comments fly in face of the facts
As I read Cedric Cromwell's letter ("Tribal casino will benefit everyone," Dec. 11 Your View), I became very concerned with some of his statements. Not surprised, but very concerned. He seems to either not understand the process he is involved in or is deliberately misleading the public as to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's pursuit of a casino.
Mr. Cromwell states "we place great value in our legally protected right to conduct gaming in our ancestral homeland." If he is referring to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, he is misquoting it.
IGRA was enacted "to regulate the conduct of gaming on Indian lands." Indian lands is defined as "all lands within the limits of any Indian reservation; and any lands title to which is either held in trust by the United States for the benefit of any Indian tribe or individual or held by any Indian tribe or individual subject to restrictions by the United States against alienation and over which an Indian tribe exercises governmental power."
The Mashpee tribe has no such lands. Furthermore, the tribe lacks the ability to acquire those lands. (See the Supreme Court decision Carcieri vs. Salazar.)
If Mr. Cromwell is implying that his "ancestral home" is in Taunton, he might want to check again. Taunton is Pokanoket territory. The Mashpee tribe is, oddly enough, from Mashpee.
As far as Mr. Cromwell's assertion that the tribe "plans on contracting with small business throughout the area for supplies, goods and services," his plans change as often as the weather; this is the third casino site planned in less than five years! In both the Middleboro and Taunton intergovernmental agreements, local hiring and local purchasing is to be done "in good faith" and "provided the cost and quality is competitive with other sources." In other words, no local preference.
Mr. Cromwell goes on to state the project is further along than any other project in the state. There is no state/tribal compact, and the first one was rejected. The land into trust application is incomplete and still not even listed in the federal register. This project cannot move forward until, at the very least, land into trust has been established (again, please refer to the Carceri decision).
Mr. Cromwell refers to mitigation funds that have been set aside and yet the tribe has not engaged in one discussion with any surrounding communities regarding mitigation or even the impacts. Mr. Cromwell assures the public the tribe will break ground "next year." I've heard Mr. Cromwell make these false claims time and time again — first in Middleboro, then in Fall River — now we are supposed to believe that in Taunton he is right?
Mr. Cromwell goes on to profess his love for Southeastern Mass., when just a short time ago he threatened to "destroy the (casino) competition" and "we won't give the state a cent." That doesn't sound like love to me. I don't believe the residents of Southeastern Mass. should be held hostage or denied economic growth any longer to these delusions of a tribal casino and they certainly should not be reassured by Mr. Cromwell's false statements. Historically, this man has not kept his word.
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