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Column: Massachusetts gaming moves at a painfully slow pace

Filed Under: Opinion
More on: massachusetts, wampanoag
   
"Bay State plans for casino gambling are moving ahead like turtles on Ambien.

By law, the licensing process is slow and deliberate. In practice, debate about it tends to be long-winded.

On Tuesday, after a drawn-out discussion about various ways of addressing the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and its inability to finalize a casino deal, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby asked if panel members had “any more convoluted thinking” to offer.

Commissioner James McHugh took issue with the word “convoluted” — he preferred “complex.” Crosby conceded the difference; and then, as part of a relatively quick two-hour meeting, commissioners approved a motion to give the tribe 90 more days to come up with a compact.

If it can’t, the gaming board may open up a casino license for the southeastern region of Massachusetts to commercial bidders.

Or maybe it won’t. Commissioners couldn’t decide if the March 15 deadline is a final cut-off date or just a trigger for more talk. The tribe met a July 31 deadline, but the deal hammered out with Governor Deval Patrick was rejected by the federal government."

Get the Story:
Casinos are a slow bet in Massachusetts (The Boston Globe 12/20)

Another Opinion:
Editorial: Kicking the casino can (The Boston Herald 12/20)

Related Stories:
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe given 'last shot' to pursue casino (12/19)

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