"The stipulation under the Massachusetts Expanded Gaming Act to give first preference in the Southeastern Massachusetts region to a Native American tribe came with several strict deadlines that had to be met.
Through a cooperative approach between the tribe, the city of Taunton and now Gov. Deval Patrick, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s proposal for a $500 million resort casino in Taunton has passed all those hurdles so far. Unfortunately, one key deadline seems to be missing from the process: One that would specify how long the tribe has for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place land in trust for the purposes of operating a tribal casino. That status, necessary for making the land sovereign territory of the tribe, is a key approval needed for the casino to become a reality." Get the Story: