Casino Stalker | Connecticut

Mashantucket Tribe considers new casino site in Massachusets

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan discussed casino plans at a press conference back in February. To the right is Scott Butera, the CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino. Photo from Twitter

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut is reportedly looking at new sites for a commercial casino in Massachusetts.

In February, the tribe said it wanted to build a $750 million casino in Fall River, in the southeastern part of the state. But tribe is now in "serious negotiations" with the city of New Bedford, The New Bedford Standard-Times reported.

"We don't have any knowledge of that," Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan told the paper in response to the new claims.

Flanagan, in fact, said the tribe was looking at an even bigger piece of real estate in his city for the casino. The property, however, is on the waterfront and not near the original location proposed back in February.

The Pequots plan to bid on the southeastern casino license. But there is no guarantee that it will be awarded because the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has been given a first shot at the region.

However, it's entirely possible for a commercial casino and a tribal casino to co-exist in the region. In that situation, Mashpees will not be required to share revenues with the state.

There's at least one other company that plans to bid on the southeastern license. KG Urban Enterprises, a non-Indian company, wants to open a casino in New Bedford.

In related news, the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut signed a casino host agreement with the town of Winthrop. The tribe is proposing the $1.3 billion Mohegan Sun Massachusetts in the eastern region of the state.

Get the Story:
Foxwoods brings bid for resort casino to New Bedford (The New Bedford Standard-Times 5/29)
Foxwoods seeks waterfront property to expand Fall River casino project (The Fall River Herald News 5/29)
Mayor Flanagan unfazed by competition for Fall River casino (The Fall River Herald News 5/29)
Town Signs Deal with Mohegan Sun Casino (The Winthrop Transcript 5/29)