Connecticut Senate approves new casino
East Windsor, Connecticut, will finally have its new casino to compete with MGM Springfield.
US.- Connecticut legislators would finally approve gaming expansion in the state, as economy experts were concerned about the opening of neighbor MGM Springfield casino. With the latest approval, local native tribes Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan are near to be allowed to operate a new gaming venue in East Windsor.
The Senate of Connecticut voted 24 to 12 the gaming bill, which will be evaluated by the House of Representatives and the state’s Governor Dannel Malloy. Still, supporters of a gaming expansion celebrated yesterday the step towards the complete legislation of a new casino in the city.
A joint venture between the native nations, the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes (MMCT) would be in charge of gaming operations of satellite casino in East Windsor, Connecticut. The casino project would generate around 1200 job positions and would better position the state economic situation against the US$1 billion MGM Springfield casino.
In response, MGM Resorts International released an statement that says: “Unfortunately, the Senate’s bill doesn’t contain a licensing fee for the state, which means that it leaves as much as US$100 million on the table in the middle of a real budget crisis. Additionally, it doesn’t provide for the real cost associated with infrastructure improvements required to support the proposed casino. In short, it shortchanges the Town of East Windsor, the surrounding communities and the state of Connecticut.”
