The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut is moving closer towards its goal of operating a commercial casino in Massachusetts.
The tribe wants to open a casino in Palmer. That's in western Massachusetts, one of the regions where a casino is authorized under a gaming bill that was unveiled yesterday. "We still believe we have the best site in western Mass. and can create thousands of jobs and great revenues … and provide some significant uplift for a region that really needs it," Mitchell Etess, chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, told The New London Day. The tribe will have to win a bid for a "category 1" casino in Region B. Category 1 means slot machines and table games. The bill requires a casino license fee of at least $85 million and a capital investment commitment at least $500 million. The tribe will have to share 25 percent of gross gaming revenues with the state. The bill is expected to be considered after Labor Day. Get the Story: