Mashpee Tribal Chairman Cromwell criticizes gaming commission
Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter
TAUNTON —
The intent behind the 2011 Expanded Gaming Act is increasingly becoming a focus in the debate over whether to allow commercial casino applications in southeastern Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is nearing a vote on whether to end the Mashpee
Wampanoag tribe’s exclusivity in the southeastern casino market by allowing commercial casino applications in the region. A majority of commissioners appeared set last week to allow commercial entities into the region, but delayed a vote on the matter until April 18 to allow for one more round of public comments.
The Mashpee continued their opposition Thursday to the prospect of commercial entities being allowed to apply for a casino license in southeastern Massachusetts. Such a move at this juncture, Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell said, would “essentially ignore” the legislative intent.
“The legislature and the Governor carefully considered several factors in determining the Massachusetts gaming market, and decided that three casinos, including one tribal casino in Southeastern Massachusetts, was the best way to create jobs and revenue while also protecting the interests of the Commonwealth,” Cromwell said in a statement.
Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby, however, said that in trying to determine the legislative intent behind the state’s expanded gambling act, he only spoke to lawmakers and staff who were involved in creating the 2011 legislation. Crosby made the statement in an April 10 letter responding to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe’s request that he reveal which legislators he consulted.
The letter doesn’t list specific legislators’ names.
“The one issue here is that the commission is doing everything possible to collect helpful information that will inform its decision as to how to best serve the interests of southeastern Massachusetts,” Crosby said.
In the letter, Crosby stated that he did not consult legislators who represent constituencies in the southeastern region. Many lawmakers from New Bedford and Fall River have said uncertainty surrounding the tribal proposal is holding up economic development in the region.
The Mashpee hope to build a tribal casino in Taunton through a federal approval process outside of the state gambling law. There has been growing concern among some legislators and members of the commission that the tribe is not on track to meet the federal land requirements for opening a tribal casino, although the Mashpee insist that they are on their way.
The state law allows the commission to license up to one casino in each of the state’s three regions, but calls for the Mashpee to have a period of exclusivity in southeastern Massachusetts to pursue federal land approval.
During a discussion in an open meeting last week, gaming commissioners said allowing a commercial casino in southeastern Massachusetts wouldn’t prohibit the Mashpee from one day opening a tribal casino in Taunton if their federal land issues are resolved at a later point in time.
Cromwell said having four casinos in the state could “threaten the economic model on which the entire expanded gaming act is based.”
http://www.enterprisenews.com/topstories/x1641164418/Mashpee-Tribal-Chairman-Criomwell-criticizes-gaming-commission
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