The tribe plans to use the land for a resort. The facility will be built in two phases, with a $140 million casino to come first, followed by two hotels and retail development.
The tribe still has to file a land-into-trust application for the site. News reports do not indicate when that might happen. The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe is pressing for a casino in the city as well. The tribe has a deal to buy 230 acres for a gaming and housing project. Both tribes would face questions under the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. The decision restricts the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. The Aquinnah gained recognition in 1987 and the Mashpee gained recognition in 2007. Legislation to fix the decision has stalled in Congress so the Obama administration plans to issue regulations to address the issue. Get the Story:Redevelopment Authority approves $21M biopark sale (The Fall River Herald News 5/27)
Fall River Approves Of Sale Of Land For Casino (WBUR 5/27)
Aquinnah have deal to buy Fall River parcel (South Coast Today 5/26) Related Stories:
Tribal rights an issue as Massachusetts weighs gaming bill (5/26)
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe presents casino project to city (5/25)
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to present another casino plan (5/24)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe commissions poll on new casino (5/21)
Town weighs options on Mashpee Wampanoag gaming deal (5/20)
City council members against Mashpee Wampanoag casino (5/19)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe switches location for casino bid (5/18)
Mashpee Wampanaog Tribe announces new casino location (5/17)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe negotiates for a new casino site (5/14)
Town presses Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe about casino bid (5/12)