The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, the operators of Connecticut’s two federally-sanctioned Indian casinos, have released a statement describing their plans for a jointly-run casino in the state as a defense against the economic threat of MGM Resorts global and Wynn Resorts’ gaming developments in Massachusetts.
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The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes are hosting a signing ceremony Thursday in Hartford to formalize their partnership. “While our past may be marked by conflict and competition, our present and future will be defined by cooperation”.
“It’s not just about the fate of our casinos _ it’s about the state of Connecticut“, Brown said.
“We’re not going to let that happen without a fight”, Brown said in a statement.
MGM has denied it might downsize the $800 million dollar hotel-casino complex planned in Springfield if faced with competition close by in Connecticut.
Whatever the tribes decide is subject to a vote of the state legislature, and could be vulnerable to a lawsuit from MGM claiming the state government is unconstitutionally discriminating by favoring the two tribes that already operate casinos in Connecticut.
A report released earlier this year estimated that casino projects in Massachusetts and New York could jeopardize more than 9,000 jobs in Connecticut. So far about five or six communites along the I-91 Corridor have expressed interest in housing Connecticut’s third casino.
MGM Resorts global filed suit in U.S. District Court last month, challenging the constitutionality of the limited law.
While the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos are allowed under federal law granting tribes gaming rights on American Indian reservations, the new casino would be on state land.
“We’ll continue to work with our legal counsel and the attorney general in the state as well, but we feel they are surmountable”, Butler said. This, MGM says, makes the preferential treatment of the tribes illegal.
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Owners of the Enfield Square Mall asked Enfield officials this week to consider supporting a bid to attract a casino to their site, which has direct access to I-91. Proposals are known to be circulating in East Hartford, East Windsor and Enfield.
