Connecticut | Legislation | New York

Tribes in Connecticut plan $900M investment in new casinos

Friday, May 8, 2015

Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler, left, and Mohegan Tribe Chairman Kevin Brown appeared at a hearing on March 17 to support a bill to authorize more tribally-operated casinos. Photo from CT Jobs Matter

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe plan to invest $900 million in three "satellite" casinos, according to a study commissioned by the tribes.

Gaming expert Clyde W. Barrow analyzed the economic impacts of the new facilities. His study said the casinos could help the state recapture gaming revenues that will be lost to Massachusetts and New York in the coming years.

"The three proposed satellite casinos will recapture 87.7% of the gaming revenue and 43.8% of the non-gaming revenue that will otherwise be lost to new casinos in Massachusetts and New York," the report stated.

Senate Bill 1090 authorizes the state to enter into agreements with the tribes for new casinos. It does not say where the facilities would be located but one site would compete with the $800 million MGM casino under construction in Springfield, a few miles from the Connecticut-Massachusetts border.

Barrow conducted an earlier study on behalf of the tribes that estimated they could lose up to 9,300 jobs to expanding gaming options in the Northeast.

Get the Story:
Consultant Says Convenience Is Key In Capturing Gambling Revenue (CT News Junkie 5/7)
Study: I-91 casino best bet to keep gamblers in CT (The Connecticut Mirror 5/7)
Report: Satellite Casinos Could Cut Losses From Competition (The Hartford Courant 5/8)
Report: Satellite casinos would go long way in ‘recapturing’ lost revenue, jobs (The New London Day 5/8)
Building 3 casinos in Connecticut could restore most revenue expected to be lost to Massachusetts, New York, report says (The Springfield Republican 5/8)

An Opinion:
OUR VIEW: Casino expansion plans are selective (The Norwich Bulletin 5/6)