Opinion: Tribal gaming compact a bad bet for Massachusetts

Thursday, March 22, 2012  

"The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe recently announced plans to enter into negotiations with Gov. Deval Patrick for a gaming "compact" for a casino in Taunton. The Aquinnah tribe has also expressed an interest in negotiating such a compact with the governor. Both proposals are being touted as economic development measures that will bring much-needed jobs to the Southeast Region. But the reality is that such a tribal compact — if signed by the governor and approved by the Legislature — would virtually guarantee that there will be no casino in the Southeast for years to come, while commercial gaming moves forward in the rest of the commonwealth.

A bit of background: the Gaming Act enacted last November opened the rest of the commonwealth to commercial gaming through a competitive licensing process. But the act treats the Southeast Region differently. In the Southeast, federally recognized Indian tribes — the Mashpee and Aquinnah — have an exclusive opportunity to negotiate a "compact" with the governor. The requirements for such a compact are not onerous: A tribe has to enter an agreement to purchase land and schedule a vote in the host community before it can negotiate with the governor. The tribe must then reach agreement with the governor and have the resulting compact approved by the Legislature before July 31. If a compact is not negotiated and approved by the deadline, the Southeast will see a competition for a commercial license just like the rest of the commonwealth."

Get the Story:
Paul D. Clement: Tribal compact is a bad bet for the Southeast (South Coast Today 3/22)

Another Opinion:
OUR VIEW: Casino study a good step (The Taunton Daily Gazette 3/22)

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