Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe confident of casino bid

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts remains confident of its proposed casino despite a new Bureau of Indian Affairs policy on off-reservation gaming.

The tribe filed a land-into-trust application for 539 acres in the town of Middleboro. The gaming site is about 38 miles from the tribal headquarters in the town of Mashpee.

The BIA rejected 11 casino proposals last Friday, saying they were too far from existing reservations. The policy, however, doesn't apply to applications from newly-recognized tribes like the Mashpees, who are eligible for an exemption under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The Mashpee casino is being backed by investors Sol Kerzner and Len Wolman, who are also financing the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans from Wisconsin. The Mohicans sought a casino in New York but the BIA last week said it was too far from the reservation.

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Decision could sour Mashpee Wampanoag's casino plans (The Cape Cod Times 1/8)