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Massachusetts tribe pushes for resort casino

MASSACHUSETT – As reported by the Boston Herald: "Casino gambling could be a step closer to arriving in the Bay State , as a newly recognized Indian tribe asserts it can open a giant gambling resort without state approval.

"In a move that could shake up the long-running debate in Massachusetts over legalizing casino gambling, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe insists it has the legal right to open a resort casino built around so-called 'bingo slots.'

"And if Beacon Hill continues to oppose expanded gambling, the tribe believes it can go ahead and open a gambling complex anyway, following a path blazed by the now-casino-rich Seminole Tribe, spokesman Scott Ferson told the Herald.

"…The tribe is scouting sites in Southeastern Massachusetts for a giant gambling complex, looking at Plymouth, Middleboro and New Bedford. Backed by a deep-pocketed Midwest casino developer, the tribe is looking for more than 300 acres near a major highway.

"… But tribal leaders would much prefer to negotiate a deal with Gov. Deval Patrick and other state officials that would lead to the legalization of a full-fledged casino with slot machines, rather than just bingo slots, Ferson said. Bingo slots, while lucrative, bring in just an estimated two-thirds of the cash that pours into full-fledged casinos…"

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