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In an unexpected development after nearly a year of discussion over potential locations for a third state casino, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun will re-open the search for proposals for a Hartford-area gambling attraction.

The casino is intended to compete with the MGM Springfield resort now under construction in Springfield.

The Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans will announce Friday they are seeking the new proposals because previous plans for East Hartford and Windsor Locks have changed dramatically and formal proposals are needed for sites being discussed in Hartford.

The plans for East Hartford now include a partnership with the Radisson in downtown Hartford as a "convention host" hotel. In Windsor Locks, town officials say there are a handful of potential sites in addition to Bradley International Airport. And airport officials say they are still interested, even though they have withdrawn two prime sites: a new transportation center and the location of the old Terminal B.

"Even with those candidates that we've had from the beginning, we've had this recognition by some of those communities that perhaps there are other alternatives within those communities," Kevin Brown, chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Authority, said. "That is part of the reason it is a good move for us to open it up and allow a relook at other potential locations."

The new round could open up an opportunity for Hartford. The city's previous mayor submitted a response to the tribes' "request for proposals" last fall without a specific location.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin has approached bringing a casino to the city with caution, though he has said he is open to exploring the idea. There may be more urgency now, however, as the city's financial troubles deepen, with filing for bankruptcy an option.

The new round would force the city to bring a specific proposal to the tribes.

The tribes declined to identify any specific sites they have examined in Hartford, beyond a parcel in the North Meadows they visited late last year. However, the XL Center has been mentioned as a possible location.

"It's similar to Windsor Locks where there are multiple sites that we are considering and will reveal when appropriate," Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, said.

Butler said it is possible that other towns and cities might enter the race. In the first round of proposals submitted last fall, the tribes said there were as many as seven municipalities potentially interested, although not all submitted proposals, Butler said.

Only one town — East Windsor — was eliminated in the first round.

"I hate to speculate that a new town will enter in," Butler said. "We've heard interest throughout the process. It's possible, but again, unless we see something, we are not chasing anything."

The new proposals are due Oct. 15, but neither Brown nor Butler would commit to a specific timeline for choosing a location. They did say the goal was to bring a location to the state lawmakers at some point during the next legislative session, which begins in early January.

"Sometime after the deadline, we'll select a set of finalists and move to that next step of ensuring that we have have local approval and obtain local approval," Brown said. "We want and need their feedback, and we are looking forward to that exchange."

Seeking a new round of proposals show the tribes are being "fair and transparent," giving towns the chance to submit updated plans, Brown said.

MGM has hammered on the transparency issue in connection with the Connecticut Airport Authority's negotiations over a potential casino at the airport.

The tribes — fierce competitors at their southeastern Connecticut resort casinos — formed an unprecedented joint venture to build a $200 to $300 million casino in the Hartford area. The joint venture — MMCT — began the search after getting approval from the legislature last year, a move that is being challenged in court by MGM.

The legislature would still needs to give final approval to the site and commercial casino expansion off tribal land.

The casino, which would have about 2,000 slot machines and up to 150 game tables, is intended as a competitive response to the $950 million casino and entertainment complex being built by MGM Resorts International in Springfield. The complex is expected to open in fall, 2018.

MMCT is framing the expansion as a way to keep more gambling revenue in Connecticut but also as a way to preserve jobs in Connecticut and the state's share of slot revenue.

When the tribal partners sought the first round of proposals last fall, they wanted to move more quickly to beat the opening in Springfield. But they quickly found the project more complex, complicated by local politics and procedures.