US Government gives no reason for reversal on East Windsor casino
Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to jointly construct casino off tribal lands
With its former leader facing a criminal investigation of potential political influence, Mark Pazniokas for the Connecticut Mirror writes, “The U.S. Department of Interior abruptly reversed course last Thursday 21 and announced it has accepted a gambling amendment necessary for the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to jointly construct a casino in East Windsor to compete with MGM Springfield.” He added that the Department of Interior’s former leader, Ryan Zinke, is “facing a criminal investigation of potential political influence.”
The notice removes a key obstacle to the construction of Connecticut’s first casino off tribal lands, but it invites the certain revival of a legal challenge by MGM Resorts International of the state’s authorization of the East Windsor casino without competition. MGM’s original lawsuit was dismissed as premature but that no longer is the case.
No statement was offered by the Mohegans or MMCT, the two tribes’ joint venture behind the Tribal Winds project. The state’s approval of the East Windsor casino was contingent on federal acceptance of changes to Connecticut’s longstanding gambling agreements.
The terse notice posted on Interior’s web site gives no rationale for the reversal, saying only that after “further consultations with the Tribe,” the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs signed off on the document on March 15 and that it would become effective after its publication Monday in the Federal Register. The DOI had no comment, either.
However, all is not well as MGM said soon after Thursday’s announcement that it will resume its court fight, which claims that Connecticut’s authorization of an off-reservation casino without competitive bidding was unconstitutional. “The Attorney General’s office has repeatedly warned, as recently as last year, that pursuing a no-bid approach in East Windsor would expose Connecticut to significant legal risks,” Uri Clinton, a senior MGM executive who has led the lobbying effort, said in a statement. “As MGM has always stated, we will continue to pursue all legal options, including litigation, to defend our right to compete in Connecticut.”
Despite the threat of litigation, which has been ongoing for more than ten years, the leader of the Pequots was exultant. Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot, said: “Today is a great day for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the State of Connecticut, especially given our 400-year history together. I applaud the actions of the Department of Interior and extend my sincerest gratitude to Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney and the Office of the Solicitor at the Interior Department for their assistance in resolving this matter.
“Now that the approval of our Amendment is secured and our exclusivity agreement with the State of Connecticut is reaffirmed, we will move forward with construction on Tribal Winds Casino in East Windsor and preserve much needed jobs and revenue,” added Butler.
