MMCT faces hurdle for its casino in Connecticut
The Attorney General has warned the tribes not to develop their East Windsor casino before getting federal regulatory approval.
US.- The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes’ effort to develop a casino in East Windsor has taken a blow after Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen urged them to stop the development until getting federal regulatory approval.
“Although we have confidence in the position we have taken that the amendments should be treated as deemed approved, it remains possible that the court could rule adversely,” he wrote in a legal opinion sent to Connecticut House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, adding: “To take action on the assumption that the State and the Tribes will succeed in the ongoing litigation would be highly imprudent.”
Therefore, Mr Jepsen stated that, despite the inaction by the US Department of the Interior (DoI) on proposed gaming pact amendments that would allow a tribal casino on non-tribal land, the MMCT should not move forward with their construction work on the East Windsor site.
According to the tribes, the DoI has been stalling the project in favour of a potential development of a private competing casino in Connecticut. That’s why, despite being tangled in an uncertain situation, they have begun the demolition of the building at their casino site to move forward with their own project.
