Artist's rendering of proposed First Light Resort and Casino. Image from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe continues to see progress on its casino in Massachusetts. By a voice vote and after little debate, the state Senate unanimously approved the tribe's Class III gaming compact on Thursday. The House already approved the deal. “Today’s action by the Massachusetts state Senate moves our casino plans one step closer to fruition. We appreciate the Senate's strong support for this agreement,” Chairman Cedric Cromwell said in a press release." The agreement needs one last blessing from lawmakers before being sent to Gov. Deval Patrick (D) for his signature. After that, it can be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review. The BIA rejected the tribe's first compact due to concerns about revenue sharing and exclusivity. The new agreement appears to address those issues by including a sliding revenue sharing scale. Get the Story:
Senate OKs Mashpee tribe compact (The Cape Cod Times 11/8)
New Taunton casino deal nearly complete (The Taunton Daily Gazette 11/8)
Massachusetts Senate approves tribal casino agreement (AP 11/8)
Senate approves compact with Wampanoag (The Bourne Bulletin 11/7)
State Senate OKs Mashpee Compact (State House News Service 11/7) Related Stories:
Regulator comments on Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe casino bid (10/31)
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