Connecticut | Legislation

Schaghticoke Tribal Nation again told it cannot accept casino bids

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Schaghticoke Mountain on the Schaghticoke Reservation in Connecticut. Photo by Morrow Long via Flickr

The state of Connecticut is once again telling the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation that it cannot pursue a casino.

Special Act 15-7 limits the casino bidding process to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said. Her office accepted the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation's application for the "Confluence of Rivers Tribal Business Entity LLC" in error but won't remove it from state records, she added.

The Schaghticokes are recognized by the state and reside on their own reservation. But the tribe is not listed in Section 1 of Special Act 15-7, which reads:

"Tribal business entity" means the business entity registered with the Secretary of the State to do business in the state and owned exclusively by both the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut.

The Pequots and the Mohegans already formed their entity, MM4CT, and accepted five proposals for the potential new casino. Once the tribes select a site, they will have to go back to the Connecticut Legislature to authorize the project.

Get the Story:
Merrill to Schaghticokes: Our goof doesn’t get you a casino (The Connecticut Mirror 2/10)
Tribe has no right to open casino, Merrill reports (The Waterbury Republican-American 2/11)
Developer No Longer Has Option On Possible Casino Site In East Windsor (The Hartford Courant 2/11)