Massachusetts tribe pushes for a casino

The Mashpee Wampanoag are hoping that the new Congress will look into its proposal to host a casino.

US.- Mashpee Wampanoag leaders have been waiting for years to host a  casino in Taunton, and with the prospect of a new Congress they’re hoping that their proposed legislation – that aims at keeping tribal land in trust – could help them achieve their goals.

Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell said in a written statement this week that they are extremely grateful that a bipartisan group of Congressional representatives “understands the injustice of taking sovereign land away from the first Americans and have moved swiftly to ensure this nation does not return to the dark days of removing indigenous people from their land.”

The legislation, which aims to end the ongoing legal challenge to the tribes reservation, was introduced in Congress by representatives William Keating and Joe Kennedy. Taunton Gazette explained that having land into trust is important as it is a requisite for building a tribal casino, as it is exempt from a number of fees and taxes for being located on sovereign land.