Gambling has been prevalent in every society in some form or the other. Often taken up as an entertaining activity, it is welcomed by every society. It was probably this same sporting spirit that encouraged Taunton residents to vote in favor of the $500 million casino resort in their area. Taking the process a step further, the Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe reached a tentative agreement on the project. This resort casino deal was struck on 12th July.
The governor will be tabling the deal before the legislature on 13th July. The lawmakers will have time till 31st July to consider all aspects of the deal and give their final verdict.
As per the agreement, the state will be entitled to receive 21.5 percent of the tribal casino gambling revenue. It is true that this figure is less than 25 percent which would have been the case if this had been assessed on a commercial casino built in the area. The agreement also means that it gives the Massachusetts authorities control over all possible crimes and violations in gambling committed at the tribal casino.
Under the states gambling laws, there is provision for three resort casinos in the area giving exclusive rights to a federally recognized Indian tribe. This will hold true if the deadline of 31st July is met.
Tribal Council chairman Cedric Cromwell is overwhelmed with the victory, but he states this to be a victory for the residents of the area. He looks forward to the creation of multiple job opportunities. This will lead to increased self-dependency of the tribe. By Monday the tribe will be getting back to finalizing the compact on a project.
Like any other project, this proposed project too has its pros and cons. There is a section of the society that has raised its concerns surrounding the development of the casino resort in the area. To name a couple, the project will bring increased traffic problems in and around the casino region. The casino can also lead to a rise in crime rates in the region. Leaving these concerns aside, what could be a real hurdle in the approval of the project is the proposed location which lies close to three schools and environmentally sensitive areas.
Another hurdle on the way is stated by KG Urban Enterprises which claims that as per a previous US Supreme Court jurisdiction the Mashpee tribe is not legally eligible for the Taunton land mentioned in the agreement. This could prove to be an uphill battle for tribe.
Promoters are downplaying these concerns as they are looking at the economic benefits coming to the region. It has already been agreed upon that an upfront payment of $33 million will be paid to the city by the tribe. This will be followed by a minimum annual payment of $13 million to the city once the casino starts operations.
Cromwell has termed this as a monumental step in the process. This is the first time that local residents have polled in support of a casino in their region. Governor Patrick had signed a new gambling law for the state last year.