Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's casino project delayed by litigation

Tuesday, January 18, 2011  

Last year, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe agreed to pay a total of $21 million to buy land for a casino in Fall River, Massachusetts.

But litigation has delayed the tribe from acquiring the land. The first deadline passed in November and it looks like a second deadline will pass next month as the lawsuit continues in state court.

A group of 10 residents, including the leader of a state-recognized tribe, say the land deal is illegal. They say state law hasn't authorized casino-style gaming and that the city should have started a bidding process for the land.

A judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the sale of the land. The next hearing in the case will be held in late March or April, The Fall River Herald News reported.

The tribe has already included the site in its land-into-trust application at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Get the Story:
Another hearing set on Fall River casino land issue (The Fall River Herald News 1/18)

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