Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe confirms groundbreaking for casino

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Artist's rendering of the First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton, Massachusetts. Image from Steelman Partners / Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

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It's official -- the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts will start work on a long-awaited casino next week.

The tribe confirmed April 5 as the groundbreaking for the First Light Resort and Casino in the city of Taunton. Chairman Cedric Cromwell will be joined by Mayor Thomas Hoye for the official start of the $1 billion project.

Once the work begins, the tribe will be moving quickly to open the casino by the summer of 2017, far ahead of commercial projects in other regions of the state. The first phase will feature a gaming floor, restaurants, entertainment and retail offerings, with additional amenities, including a hotel and a water park, coming in the following year.

A rival developer is hoping to stop the project with a lawsuit that questions whether the Bureau of Indian Affairs lawfully approved the tribe's land-into-trust application in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The tribe, however, is not a defendant and cannot be sued due to sovereign immunity. A decision in the lawsuit would likely not prevent work from continuing on the casino.

Federal Register Notices:
Proclaiming Certain Lands as Reservation for the Mashpee Wampanoag (January 8, 2016)
Land Acquisitions; Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (September 25, 2015)
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Fee-to-Trust Transfer of Property and Subsequent Development of a Resort/Hotel and Ancillary Facilities in the City of Taunton, MA and Tribal Government Facilities in the Town of Mashpee, MA by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (September 5, 2014)
Indian Gaming (February 4, 2014)

Relevant Documents:
Chairman Cedric Cromwell Announcement | Mashpee Wampanoag Trbe Press Release | Bureau of Indian Affairs Press Release | Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn Letter to Chairman Cedric Cromwell | Record of Decision

DOI Solicitor Opinion:
M-37029: The Meaning of "Under Federal Jurisdiction" for Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act (March 12, 2014)