Opinion

Editorial: Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe casino vote being ignored

Thursday, May 31, 2012

"What’s the point of asking voters to weigh in on a referendum if officials won’t even be guided by their will? A whopping majority of Freetown voters who turned out for the nonbinding referendum Tuesday on a proposed casino operated by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, Aquinnah, rejected the notion of a tribal-operated casino in their town, but that doesn’t mean that Freetown officials intend to follow suit.

The Aquinnah have proposed a $167 million resort casino off Route 140. As one of the stipulations of the Massachusetts Gaming Act allowing for Native American tribes to get a first shot at a southeastern Massachusetts casino license, a compact negotiation apparently requires the tribes to enter an agreement to purchase land and for host communities to schedule a vote. After the vote, an agreement has to be reached with the governor and the resulting compact must be approved before July 31.

In the case of the Aquinnah, the tribe had entered into a purchase-and-sales agreement for 500 acres straddling the town line with Lakeville. It would certainly represent big-time economic development for Freetown and the region. But there was little other tangible information. The fact is it’s a big proposal that could change Freetown’s rural character."

Get the Story:
OUR VIEW: Are the casino odds stacked against Freetown voters (The Taunton Daily Gazette 5/31)