Casinos.co.uk: Casino News Archive
Sunday 29th July 2007
American Indians get casino approved
The newly-recognised Mashpee tribe has had a casino deal endorsed in Massachussets, which could generate millions of dollars for the state.
Residents gathered at Middlesborough's town meeting, where they voted 2,387 to 1,335 in favour of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe's casino, which is expected to cost $1 billion.
As a part of the deal, the town would receive $250 million in infrastructure improvements as well as around $11 million in yearly payments. Yet the tribe will still require state and federal approval, although the state governor, Deval Patrick, has not indicated whether this is likely to be granted.
Due to the lack of clarity, state Treasurer Tim Cahill commented that the vote in Middlesborough was "a hypothetical exercise".
While opponents argue that the deal did not benefit the town in comparison to how much the tribe would benefit, supporters said the agreement could really assist the struggling rural community.
The Mashpee tribe already owns 125 acres of land in Middlesborough and is reported to be interested in another 200 acres.
One resident explained that the tribe deserved a casino as its wealth was effectively raided after King Philip's War in the 17th-century. Russ Burns told the New York Times: "We took everything. Now they want to make a couple of dollars. We're going to say you can’t do that, either?"
Source:Direct News
| Discuss this story in the Gambling.co.uk Forums. Last five forum Posts: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
