December 23, 2015—On Wednesday, Officials in the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes announced a delay in choosing a new casino site location. The Native American tribes are federally recognized and have proposed a casino to be built near the Massachusetts border. However, the decision on where this new casino will be is on hold. The tribe announced the decision would be made much later in 2016 than they anticipated. Both tribes had hoped to announce the site location on December 15, 2015.
The proposal was supposed to be ready for the General Assembly, which is when lawmakers return to the capitol. For the proposal, there are still a few months left, as the lawmakers will be in the capitol in February 2016. However, the tribes are waiting on local approval.
Andrew Doba, a spokesperson for MMCT Venture (the tribes company), stated the tribal council is still reviewing proposed locations. They have not decided on Windsor Locks, East Hartford, Hartford, or East Windsor. They also do not have local approval.
Doba stated, “We are still conducting our due diligence and will make the necessary decisions once that process is complete.” The tribe intends on opening a facility before MGM Resorts gets their $950 million casino open in Springfield, Massachusetts.
MGM’s planned resort is set to open in the fall of 2018. A part of the delay, according to sources, states MGM is trying to gain more of a political presence in Connecticut, which could affect popular opinion on the tribes proposed casino.
The tribal chairman, told the Hartford Courant’s editorial board that it was “unlikely a location for the facility” would be chosen in time for the legislation’s regular session. However, the tribes are looking to seek legislation for permission to open a new casino near the border, with millions of dollars in revenue generated from the site.