Connecticut lawmakers have finally made some progress in terms of gambling expansion by approving most of a gambling legislative package. The approval would allow local Indian tribes to establish a new casino located in East Windsor.
The House of Representatives voted in favour of the gaming expansion bill, with the decision coming only a few hours after a deal including more off-track betting parlours across the state of Connecticut was reached.
Right before the ending of this year’s legislative session, local lawmakers managed to give the green light to the tribal gaming resorts’ owners to establish a casino in East Windsor. The decision was confirmed by the House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, who explained it came in favour of the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes.
The two Indian tribal nations have faces the opposition of MGM Resorts International, which had fought for two years to block the casino authorisation. The so-called “satellite casino” which development had been put under consideration was aimed to be located between Hartford and Springfield as a worthy competitor of the MGM Springfield gaming resort that is planned to be officially opened in 2018.
Under one of the bills included in the approved gaming package, a new entertainment sharing agreement between the two tribes which currently own and operate the Mohegan Sun and the Foxwoods Resort Casino gaming resorts.
The final legislative approval of the House of Representatives was given with 103 to 46 votes early on Wednesday. The casino vote was the first one of a two-bill gambling package aiming to also giving the green light to off-track betting sites as well as a future eventual sports betting expansion.
On the other hand, the second bill of the gambling package will allow Sportech Venues to hold eight additional off-track betting licenses, raising the off-track betting locations throughout the state from the current 18 to 24.
The approval of the gambling expansion made a major change in the Connecticut’s gambling market, especially considering the fact that a couple of weeks ago local Democratic leaders raised a red flag that they would not be able to gather enough support in order to have the East Windsor casino project approved. The third casino in the region will be operated by the two Indian tribes.
Springfield is expected to react to the House’s decision. The Chief Development Officer of the City, Kevin Kennedy, have reported that MGM is ahead of its project’s schedule but it is also planning to start the hiring process soon.
Despite the House has already given its approval to the gambling expansion in the state, some Connecticut lawmakers still expressed their concern with the fact that the tribes will be given the exclusive right to develop a new casino on what is described as non-tribal land. According to the House Democratic Chairman of the Public Safety Committee Joe Verrengia, Rep-West Hartford, such a step could lead to some legal challenges over the upcoming years.
- Author
Daniel Williams
