Native American gaming resort in jeopardy
Gaming board could seek bids from south region
By Dave WedgeTuesday, December 4, 2012
Southeastern Massachusetts could become the next hotbed for casino competition as the state gaming board may open up bidding to private developers because a deal for a Native American resort has been delayed by the federal government.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Stephen Crosby today said the board will consider soliciting bids from commercial developers for a casino south of Boston to start the lengthy screening process in case the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is unable to win federal approval.
“An approach one might take is to create parallel paths,” Commissioner James McHugh said. “If it looked like (the Wampanoag casino deal) wasn’t going to succeed ... then the commission would be ready to move forward.”
The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which approves gaming deals between tribes and states, recently rejected a compact struck between the Wampanoags and Gov. Deval Patrick. The feds cited the state’s 21.5 percent take from the proposed Indian casino as a primary reason for rejecting the deal. Most states take a much lower percentage from Native American casinos, with some getting less than one percent.
Patrick and Wampanoag officials have said they’re working on a new pact.
But the MGC expressed concern today that the state will lose out on much-needed casino revenue should the Wampanoags’ proposed Taunton casino remain hung up in federal red tape. The state’s expanded gaming law passed in 2011 gave exclusive rights for a Southeastern Massachusetts casino to a Native American tribe, but leaves the door open for the commission to pursue a commercial resort should a tribe fail in its bid for federal approval.
Crosby said the delays have put Southeastern Massachusetts “behind the eight ball” and hopes the board can avoid “utter dead time” by starting to screen potential commercial developers interested in the Taunton region.
“We could consider starting that process for whoever may be interested,” Crosby said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061179484&srvc=rss
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Stephen Crosby today said the board will consider soliciting bids from commercial developers for a casino south of Boston to start the lengthy screening process in case the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is unable to win federal approval.
“An approach one might take is to create parallel paths,” Commissioner James McHugh said. “If it looked like (the Wampanoag casino deal) wasn’t going to succeed ... then the commission would be ready to move forward.”
The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, which approves gaming deals between tribes and states, recently rejected a compact struck between the Wampanoags and Gov. Deval Patrick. The feds cited the state’s 21.5 percent take from the proposed Indian casino as a primary reason for rejecting the deal. Most states take a much lower percentage from Native American casinos, with some getting less than one percent.
Patrick and Wampanoag officials have said they’re working on a new pact.
But the MGC expressed concern today that the state will lose out on much-needed casino revenue should the Wampanoags’ proposed Taunton casino remain hung up in federal red tape. The state’s expanded gaming law passed in 2011 gave exclusive rights for a Southeastern Massachusetts casino to a Native American tribe, but leaves the door open for the commission to pursue a commercial resort should a tribe fail in its bid for federal approval.
Crosby said the delays have put Southeastern Massachusetts “behind the eight ball” and hopes the board can avoid “utter dead time” by starting to screen potential commercial developers interested in the Taunton region.
“We could consider starting that process for whoever may be interested,” Crosby said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061179484&srvc=rss
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment