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A Mashpee Wampanoag tribal welcome center in Taunton, Mass., will offer visitors gaming machines, another footnote in the Tribe’s saga to secure gaming on their lands.
This latest news is according to report from the Taunton Daily Gazette. Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell told the paper that it’s not clear if the gaming machines will require money or if they’ll be free to play.
Welcome center gaming nearly brings Mashpee land saga full circle
The welcome center sits on land that the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will use to build First Light Casino. First Light is a significant development, as it will be the first tribal casino in the state.
Gaming machines in the Tribe’s welcome center are sort of a first step toward what has turned out to be a hard-fought battle for gaming.
The tribe signed a compact (agreement) with the state of Massachusetts in 2013. The compact allowed the tribe to open a Class III gaming facility, terminology that refers to full casino gaming—blackjack, roulette, craps, and other casino-style games. The compact prohibits the following gaming types:
- Online casinos (unless the state legalizes iGaming)
- Betting on live horse and dog racing
Once a tribe gets the green light for gaming, they typically move quickly to build a casino. That was the Mashpee’s intention. However, multiple years of legal wrangling slowed that process.
The Obama administration moved to trust the land for the casino, which paved the way for First Light. The tribe partnered with Genting Group to build its casino. However, Genting exited the agreement after the Trump administration reversed the Obama administration’s decision to put the Mashpee land in federal trust.
However, the Biden administration reversed the government’s position once more, moving the land into trust once again. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld the decision in earlier this year, bringing to an end a back-and-forth federal saga.
At the time, Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman Brian Weeden expressed the tribe’s relief over SCOTUS’ decision in a statement.
We have been fighting for too long to win back what was stolen from us generations ago. Now the Supreme Court has affirmed our rights in a way that cannot be further challenged or questioned. We can now rest easy that we can exercise our sovereignty and preserve our culture and traditions on our tribal lands for generations to come!
What’s next for the Taunton welcome center and casino?
According to the Taunton Daily Gazette, O’Connell said the tribe will make the welcome center plans public early next year.
The tribe’s interaction with the public about the center will be critical, as it was residents of Taunton who spurred the original lawsuit against the Department of the Interior’s decision to move 321 acres of land into trust for the Mashpee.
Regardless of public sentiment, the SCOTUS decision about the Mashpee’s land can’t be further challenged, according to Weeden.
In any case, the welcome center will be the first step toward building First Light. Over the next year, it’s possible the tribe could select a new development partner for First Light, as well as release initial plans for what the property will offer in the way of lodging, amenities, and gaming.
If all goes as planned, First Light will be the state’s first tribal casino and fourth casino to open. The other three casinos in the state are MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, and Plainridge Park Casino.
