HARTFORD — The state Senate is considering a much-shortened bill that would allow the state's two Indian tribes to build one additional casino as a way to battle out-of-state competition.
The bill, which could come to a Senate vote this week, also provides a mechanism allowing towns to make their own proposals to the tribes.
The details of the casino proposal are contained in a working draft obtained by The Courant on Monday. The draft is only three pages and 75 lines long, far shorter than the original 16-page casino bill that had been under legislative review.
The longer version came out about two months ago and envisioned casinos that would be built jointly by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes. The tribes currently run huge casinos in southeastern Connecticut.
Towns including East Hartford and East Windsor have been maneuvering for the right to build a casino.
The new draft of the casino bill states that "any municipality'' could seek a casino, and sets up a process for how the two tribes would seek proposals from towns interested in hosting one.
It also refers to a "tribal business entity" allowing the two tribes to jointly own the new facility and be registered to do business in Connecticut. Foxwoods Resorts Casino, operated by the Mashantucket Pequots, and Mohegan Sun are on tribal land.
"A tribal business entity may issue a request for proposals to municipalities regarding the establishment of a possible casino gaming facility in a municipality,'' according to the draft. "The tribal business entity shall submit any such request for proposals to the Department of Consumer Protection. The department shall post such request for proposals on its Internet web site.''
While the competition would be open to all towns, under the draft, the tribes have been most concerned about competition from the $800 million MGM Resorts International casino that is expected to open in Springfield by Christmas 2017. Because of that, the tribes have been focused on the I-91 corridor in north-central Connecticut as a possible casino site.
Although the towns would be part of the process, the state legislature would maintain approval rights, according to the draft.
"A tribal business entity may not establish a casino gaming facility in the state until the General Assembly and the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs have approved the amendments"' of existing compacts between the tribes and the state, according to the draft.
Legislators are keenly aware that the casino battle could end up in court.
"If a court of competent jurisdiction holds any provision of this section unconstitutional,'' the draft states, "the remaining provisions of this section shall be inoperative and have no effect."
Patty McQueen, a spokeswoman for the tribes, said Monday night, "We are reviewing the draft language and continue to have productive conversations with legislators about how to best protect 9,300 jobs." She was referring to the thousands of jobs at the existing tribal casinos.
The money contributed to the state by the two tribes as part of a slot-machine, revenue-sharing deal has been falling steadily since reaching a peak of $430 million in the 2007 fiscal year.
That total is projected to drop by more than half, to $189 million, in the 2018 fiscal year due to the opening of the Springfield casino and continuing competition from slot machines at Yonkers Raceway in Westchester County, N.Y., and Aqueduct racetrack in New York City.
The Connecticut bill, if passed by both chambers, would take effect as soon as it is signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Copyright © 2015, Hartford Courant| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Copyright © 2024 ToCasino.net Online Casino. All Rights Reserved. Designed by