Connecticut tribes face gaming threats from nearby states

Friday, May 28, 2010  

Connecticut's two federally recognized tribes are facing increased competition as gaming is being expanded or considered in nearby states.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe face the biggest threat from Massachusetts, according to one analyst. Lawmakers there are considering a plan to legalize full-scale casinos.

The Mohegan Tribe plans to apply for a license if the bill passes. “We have an excellent chance to get the Palmer license," Mohegan Sun CEO Mitchell Etess said at the East Coast Gaming Congress, The Norwich Bulletin reported, referring to a site in western Massachusetts.

The Mohegan Tribe already has experience in commercial gaming. The tribe operates a slot machine facility in Pennsylvania and will be adding table games to the facility.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation also won a license for a slot facility in Pennsylvania but the project has yet to get off the ground amid financing and other concerns.

Other threats come from New York, although off-reservation tribal casinos in the Catskills have not come to fruition, and from New Hampshire, analysts said..

Get the Story:
Casinos may face plethora of rivals (The Norwich Bulletin 5/28)

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