Artist's rendering of proposed First Light Resort and Casino. Image from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
The group that put the Massachusetts gaming law on the November ballot says tribes won't be able to open casinos if voters repeal it. Repeal the Casino Deal says the Class III gaming compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe includes a provision that negates the deal if Class III games become illegal in the state. The tribe hasn't commented publicly on that possibility. The group also says the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe gave up its gaming rights under the Massachusetts Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1987. The tribe, however, says repeal won't affect its plans. H.3702, the Massachusetts Expanded Gaming Act, authorized casinos in three regions of the state. The law reserves the casino in the southeastern region for a "federally recognized tribe." The Mashpees are pursuing a $500 million First Light Resort and Casino in the city of Taunton. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has published a draft environmental impact statement for the project but has not made a decision on the land-into-trust application for the project. The BIA also allowed the tribe's Class III gaming compact to go into effect. It's not clear what will happen to the deal if the gaming law is repealed. The Aquinnah are pursuing a Class II facility on the reservation but repeal won't affect Class II gaming. The National Indian Gaming Commission and the Solicitor at the Interior Department have concluded that the tribe has a right to follow the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. The state disputes the tribe's rights and the issue will be decided in federal court. Get the Story:
Impact Of Casino Repeal On Tribal Plans Uncertain (AP 7/4)
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