Indian Gaming

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut is jumping back into the Massachusetts commercial casino race.

The tribe will announce plans today for a $750 million casino in Fall River, in the southeastern part of the state. A site hasn't been chosen but city's mayor is embracing the project as a means to boost the economy.

"Tomorrow in partnership with @FoxwoodsCT we will announce a $750 million casino project creating 3-5k jobs," Mayor Will Flanagan said on Twitter.

The announcement will put the Pequots at odds with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, whose $500 million First Light Resort and Casino was given a first shot at the region. H.3702, the Massachusetts Expanded Gaming Act, reserved the area's casino for a "federally recognized tribe."

But with the Mashpee project facing uncertainty at the federal level, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission opened the region to non-Indian bidders. Only one firm, K.G. Urban Enterprises, filed an application.

The Pequots previously tried for a commercial casino in the eastern region of the state. But voters in the town of Milford rejected the project in a referendum last November.

Get the Story:
Foxwoods eyes Fall River for casino resort (NBC 10 News 1/27)
Foxwoods eyes new casino proposal in Massachusetts (The Norwich Bulletin 1/27)
Flanagan: Deal between Fall River, Foxwoods to be announced Tuesday (The Taunton Daily Gazette 1/28)
Foxwoods to pitch new casino proposal in Fall River (The Cape Cod Times 1/28)
Foxwoods eyes bid with Fall River site (The Boston Herald 1/28)
Foxwoods to officially announce interest in Fall River, Mass., for casino (The New London Day 1/28)

Related Stories:
BIA took issue with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe compact (01/14)