Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe in 'holding pattern' on casino bill

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe is waiting to see how a bill to legalize casino gambling in Massachusetts turns out.

The tribe wants to build a casino in the city of Fall River. But the details won't be worked out until a final package emerges from the state Legislature.

"We are in a holding pattern," Naomi Carney, the chairman of the Wampanoag Gaming Corporation, told The Martha's Vineyard Times. "We are just waiting like everybody else."

The state Senate began debating a bill [Summary | Full Text] to authorize three casinos. One of them would be located in the southeastern part of the state, where Fall River is located.

The bill does not include a tribal preference. But the Aquinnah theoretically could apply for the casino so long as the tribe complies with all state civil and criminal laws and waives its rights under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The tribe would also have to share revenues with the state, according to the bill.

Get the Story:
Casino odds change on Beacon Hill for Wampanoag Tribe (The Martha's Vineyard Times 6/24)
Senate casino debate opens with familiar arguments (The New Bedford Standard-Times 6/24)
Senators at odds as casino debate opens (The Boston Globe 6/24)

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