Bay State's first casino to open in 3 months

Mashpee Wampanog effort still languishing in Washington

ARTICLE | News | March 23, 2015 11:30 AM | By Walter Brooks

Twenty miles from the proposed Wampanoag casino, Plainridge Park Casino will open in 3 months. Image courtesy of PlainridgeParkCasino.com.

Penn Gambling: Plainridge Park Slots Casino to open June 24

No decision yet on Wampanoag's Taunton Casino land

With the Mashpee Wampanoag's efforts to get the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington to approve their proposed land for a casino in Taunton still on hold, the state's first casino is due to open less than 20 miles away in Plainville Massachusetts.

Pending final approval, the first expanded gambling facility under the state's 2011 casino law will open in three months.

Penn National Gaming announced Monday that Plainridge Park Casino, a slot machine venue with dining, entertainment and harness racing, will open Wednesday, June 24 and lead to the creation of 500 jobs.

The $225 million, 106,000 square foot venue is located on Route 1 in Plainville, 35 miles south of Boston and 18 miles from Providence, R.I. and only 20 miles west of the proposed Wampanoag land trust in Taunton. The new casino will include a banquet room, simulcast wagering, and 1,800 parking spaces and plans to remain open 24-7.

Mashpee still on hold, skeptics say approval is unlikely

On a different track, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is seeking to build a casino in Taunton (on right) and is waiting to see whether the federal government will take land into trust for the tribe.

In 2013 a group in Taunton called Stop Taunton Casino claimed to possess documents proving the Mashpee Tribe doesn’t meet the requirements to have the land in Taunton taken in trust.

Neighboring states like Connecticut, attempting to respond to the Bay State's foray into the casino market, are discussing gambling industry expansions.

Read the Herald-News story here.

See the Stop Taunton Casino here.

See the BIA's complete file on the Mashpee Tribe here.

Plainridge Park (below) is the only gaming casino and live harness-racing track in Massachusetts.