Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes report mixed slot machine revenues

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Artist's rendering of a new casino to be jointly owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe in East Windsor, Connecticut. Image: CT Jobs Matter

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe saw mixed results in slot machine revenues as they get ready to break ground on a new development.

Slot revenue at Mashantucket-owned Foxwoods Resort Casino was $38.5 million for the month of May 2018, according to a press release. That represented a 2.6 percent drop from the year prior.

The Mohegan Sun, on the other hand, reported $51.73 million in slot revenue. That was an increase of 2.3 percent from the year prior.

The two tribes have seen their slot revenues fluctuate for most of the past decade, following the national economic recession in 2008. Increased competition in New England also has had an effect on their bottom line.

To address the situation, the tribes joined forces and secured approval for a new casino under state law. They plan to break ground in the fall in hopes of opening in the spring of 2020.

The tribes chose the city of East Windsor for their project in order to compete with a commercial casino just across the state line in Massachusetts. The MGM Resorts facility in Springfield, less than 15 miles away, is opening in August.

The tribes will continue to share slot revenues with the state once the new development opens. They each contribute 25 percent under existing agreements.

Artist's rendering of a new casino to be jointly owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe in East Windsor, Connecticut. Image: CT Jobs Matter

Earlier this month, the Mohegans secured an update to their Class III gaming compact that preserves the arrangement. The Trump administration, for unknown reasons, delayed a decision on the agreement for 10 months.

The Mashantuckets, on the other hand, still haven't heard back from Washington, D.C. As part of a lawsuit in federal court, government attorneys argued that the Department of the Interior is not required to make a decision for the tribe on any sort of deadline.

According to a joint status report filed on Monday, "nothing has changed" with respect to the Mashantucket agreement, attorneys for the Trump administration wrote.

But with the publication of the Mohegan Tribe's compact in the Federal Register on June 1, the parties have agreed to remove the Mohegans from the lawsuit. A stipulation of dismissal was filed on Friday.

Read More on the Story:
Foxwoods reports slot revenue down 2.6% (The Norwich Bulletin June 18, 2018)
Mohegan slot revenues up 2.3%; amount waged down (Hartford Business June15, 2018)
Sun’s slot revenue rises in May (The Norwich Bulletin June 15, 2018)
Casinos report May slots revenue (The New London Day June 16, 2018) $P Federal Register Notice:
Indian Gaming; Tribal-State Class III Gaming Compact Taking Effect in the State of Connecticut (June 1, 2018)

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