Indian Gaming

The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts elected a new leader over the weekend, a move that could affect controversial plans for a casino.

Tobias Vanderhoop defeated incumbent Cheryl Andrews-Maltais for the chair's post. Prior to the vote, Vanderhoop questioned whether the tribe should open a Class II facility on the island of Martha's Vineyard but he said the idea remains under discussion.

"We are interested in having a discussion and being fully informed about how we move forward," Vanderhoop told The Cape Cod Times. "The will of our people is what guides us."

The National Indian Gaming Commission and the Solicitor at the Interior Department have confirmed the tribe's right to engage in gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. But state and local officials have said the tribe must follow state law as a condition of the Massachusetts Indian Land Claims Settlement Act.

Get the Story:
Island casino iffy after election (The Cape Cod Times 11/19)
Vanderhoop election unsettles gaming scene (State House News Service 11/18)
New Tribal Chair Elected Amid Vineyard Casino Proposal (WBUR 11/18)

An Opinion:
Editorial: Casino qualifying more of a gamble (The Sentinel & Enterprise 11/19)

Relevant Documents:
Solicitor Letter to Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe (August 23, 2013)
NIGC Letter to Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe (October 25, 2013)
Press Release: GSB Client Aquinnah Wampanoag to be First to Game in Massachusetts (November 12, 2013)

Related Stories:
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe heads to polls amid gaming talks (11/15)