1. East Windsor Casino Opening Date
2. Tribal Winds Casino
3. Tribal Winds Casino Ct
4. Casino In Windsor Ct

1. The tribe has also pursued expansion into New York and Massachusetts, along with a proposed project in East Windsor. Combined, CT’s tribes generate more than $1 billion in annual slot revenue, and they return 25 percent to the state under current compacts.
2. EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — The Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots once said Tribal Winds, envisioned as a competitor to the MGM Springfield casino, could be open in 2020. Now 2020 is here, but the Tribal.

The new leader of the Department of the Interior is issuing a strong denial in connection with a stalled tribally-owned casino in Connecticut. In his prior role as Deputy Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt met with opponents of the casino, The Guardian reported. But a spokesperson said the the April 2018 meeting had 'absolutely nothing to do with' the development. “Mr. Bernhardt had absolutely nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing,' the spokesperson told The Guardian. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe joined forces to open the casino in response to growing competition in New England. Bernhardt's meeting, which went undisclosed until The Guardian's report, was with lawyers who represent MGM Resorts International, a non-Indian firm that opposed the tribal project. But Bernhardt, who now serves as Secretary of the Interior, claims the meeting was about the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation and its failed bid for federal recognition, The Guardian reported. The tribe, also based in Connecticut, saw its fortunes reverse during the George W. Bush administration, when Bernhardt served in other roles at the department.

An end to the East Windsor casino plan MGM’s goal; its $1 billion casino in Springfield, right across the state line in Massachusetts, has failed to meet expectations for revenues and profits, and its plan to build a $675 million casino complex on Bridgeport’s waterfront has never received approval by the legislature.

Access to our public lands has been a priority for this Administration,
which is why it was wonderful to celebrate the restoration of fishing and recreational access at Fletchers Cove on Friday! pic.twitter.com/8C5ZeRx0pB

— Secretary David Bernhardt (@SecBernhardt) April 15, 2019 Chief Richard Velky, however, disputed Bernhardt's characterization about the meeting, telling the news outlet that the tribe retained a different law firm in connection with its acknowledgement efforts. On the other hand, the tribe was aligned with MGM's lawyers in connection with a lawsuit that challenged the new casino. That lawsuit, along with a separate one pursued by MGM, eventually failed. But as a result of the Trump administration's refusal to approve gaming agreements submitted by the Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes, MGM was able to open a commercial casino in neighboring Massachusetts without facing additional competition. The tribes, meanwhile, were kept in limbo until the Department of the Interior approved the Mohegan Tribe's agreement in June 2018 -- 10 months after it had been submitted to Washington, D.C. No explanation was provided for the lengthy delay. The Mashantucket Tribe had to wait even longer. Its gaming procedures weren't approved by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney until last month. 'On March 15, 2019, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney approved amendments proposed by the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe to its class III gaming procedures issued by the Secretary of the Interior in 1991,' a spokesperson for the Bureau of Indian Affairs said in a statement to Indianz.Com. 'On March 19, 2019, the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs approved related amendments to the Mashantucket – State of Connecticut Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for class III revenue sharing, along with the underlying MOU that had been in place since 1993,' the statement continued. 'These actions were the result of an ongoing dialogue between the Department and the Tribe, who have been litigating related issues over the last year.'

I am humbled by the President's confidence in me to lead the Department of the Interior subject to confirmation. pic.twitter.com/fdjUX1b7Od

— Secretary David Bernhardt (@SecBernhardt) March 8, 2019 The Mashantucket Tribe has since withdrawn a lawsuit that sought to force approval of its procedures. The Mohegan Tribe was part of the same lawsuit but withdrew after its agreement was approved last year. “I applaud the actions of the Department of Interior and extend my sincerest gratitude to Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney and the Office of the Solicitor at the Interior Department for their assistance in resolving this matter,' Mashantucket Chairman Rodney Butler said in a statement to Indianz.Com after the latest development. The end of the lawsuit means the tribes won't be able to get to the bottom of the delay that affected their Tribal Winds Casino. As part of the litigation, they could have sought testimony from Trump administration officials, possibly including Bernhardt. The tribes also have been in the dark about an investigation that was initiated by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of the Interior into the matter. There has been no public resolution to the probe and the tribes have not been informed of any conclusions, a year after it began. According to people familiar with the investigation, leaders of both tribes were interviewed by the Inspector General. Also interviewed was Bernhardt's predecessor, former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Zinke met with leaders of both tribes in June 2017. During that meeting, which took place on the Mohegan Reservation, he said he was going to approve their gaming agreements, according to people familiar with the conversation. But two months later, the BIA instead told the tribes that it wasn't going to take action for reasons that have not been fully explained. Internal documents subsequently obtained by POLITICO were heavily redacted to the point that it is impossible to discern the legal and policy rationale for such an approach. Between the June 2017 meeting and the September 2017 letters to the tribes, the only major leadership change that occurred at Interior was the arrival of David Bernhardt as Deputy Secretary in August of that year. Ryan Zinke's fortunes have since changed dramatically. After his interview with the Inspector General, concerns were raised about his truthfulness regarding the meeting in Connecticut, during which the governor at the time was also present. A federal grand jury has since looked into the matter, multiple sources in Indian policy circles told Indianz.Com last December as Zinke announced his resignation from the Trump administration. But nothing public has emerged from the purported proceeding, which is said to have taken place in Washington, D.C. Bernhardt, who was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior last Thursday, is now facing scrutiny of the same kind that dogged Zinke. The Inspector General on Monday told lawmakers and a watchdog group that it had opened an investigation into alleged ethical lapses after receiving seven complaints about him. 'The Inspector General’s investigation into Secretary Bernhardt’s extensive conflicts of interest is a necessary step to ensure that the public interest is paramount in decision-making at the Interior Department,' said Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “Our federal ethics policies and procedures are in place to ensure federal officials are working for the benefit of the American people. It’s important to know that the Inspector General will be looking into whether officials at the Department of the Interior, including the newly confirmed Secretary, may have violated ethics regulations,' said Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota). The Tribal Winds Casino is expected to open within 18 to 24 months. It is located in the town of East Windsor in Connecticut, less than 15 miles from the MGM facility in neighboring Massachusetts. New records put Trump's interior chief under fresh scrutiny over casino row (The Guardian April 17, 2019)
New Interior Chief Bernhardt Reportedly Held Secret Meeting Linked to One of His Predecessor's Many Scandals (Common Dreams April 17, 2019)
Bernhardt’s office acknowledges meetings left off schedule (Roll Call April 16, 2019) Indian Gaming; Amendment to Class III Gaming Procedures for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe (March 25, 2019)
Indian Gaming; Tribal-State Class III Gaming Compact Taking Effect in the State of Connecticut (June 1, 2018) Lucky seven? New leader of Department of the Interior already under scrutiny (April 16, 2019)
Former Secretary Ryan Zinke under grand jury investigation for tribal debacle (February 22, 2019)
'Significant political pressure': Former Secretary Zinke under scrutiny in tribal lawsuit (February 15, 2019)
'Tribal Winds': Long-delayed gaming project back on the agenda in Connecticut (January 28, 2019)
Tribes see decline in revenues as new casino remains in limbo (January 7, 2019)
Tribes see another decline in slot machine revenues in Connecticut (November 15, 2018)
News reports link Secretary Zinke's criminal woes to tribal gaming (November 1, 2018)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation seeks to revive gaming lawsuit (October 17, 2018)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation sees setback in case against Trump administration (October 2, 2018)
Tribes see dip in slot machine revenues as rival opens new facility (September 18, 2018)
Tribes see decline in slot machine revenues as they await new arrival (August 15, 2018)
Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes report mixed slot machine revenues (June 19, 2018)
Tribes plan to break ground on long-awaited casino in Connecticut (June 14, 2018)
Trump administration still mum on gaming agreement for Mashantucket Tribe (June 13, 2018)
Trump administration reverses course on tribal gaming agreement in Connecticut (June 4, 2018)
Online gaming also on the table as Connecticut negotiates with tribes (May 24, 2018)
Connecticut governor seeks to negotiate sports betting with tribes (May 22, 2018)
Mashantucket and Mohegan interested in pursuing casinos in Japan (May 16, 2018)

East Windsor Casino Opening Date

Mohegan Tribe gains sole ownership of $5 billion gaming project in Korea (May 9, 2018)
Non-Indian firm fighting tribes announces earlier opening date for casino (April 26, 2018)
Lawmakers from Connecticut prompted probe into handling of tribal agreements (April 25, 2018)
Tribes welcome probe into Trump administration's handling of gaming agreements (April 23, 2018)
Tribes still facing legal questions in bid for new casino in Connecticut (April 17, 2018)
Trump administration hit for keeping two tribes in Connecticut in the dark (April 6, 2018)
Mohegan Tribe on track to complete convention center at casino (March 29, 2018)
Tribes finally start demolition at site of delayed casino in Connecticut (March 6, 2018)
Tribes still planning to start work on delayed casino in Connecticut (February 28, 2018)
Trump team appears willing to delay tribal casino deal in Connecticut indefinitely (February 6, 2018)
Tribes ready to start initial work on delayed casino in Connecticut (February 2, 2018)
Former Interior Secretary Gale Norton lobbies against tribes' casino (February 1, 2018)

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont last week proposed a plan that would turn the aging XL Center in Hartford into a casino, hand it over to the state’s two federally recognized tribes to operate gaming at the arena, and also bringing legal sports betting and iGaming to the state. The plan is contingent on the tribes’ agreement to drop their proposal for a jointly-run casino in East Windsor.

According to the HartfordCourant, Lamont’s proposal would allow the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, operators of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods respectively, to also open a casino in Bridgeport, advantageously located near the New York City and Long Island markets. MGM Resorts International had proposed a casino of its own in Bridgeport and has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Interior to block the plans.

According to MGM’s suit, filed last week, changes by Interior to the compact between Connecticut and the tribes “facilitate commercial, off-reservation gaming by the tribal joint venture anywhere in Connecticut and state legislators have recently proposed granting the joint venture an exclusive, no-bid license to operate a casino in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

“The amendments thus confer a statewide, perpetual competitive advantage on the joint venture,” MGM said.

Tribal Winds Casino

An end to the East Windsor casino plan MGM’s goal; its $1 billion casino in Springfield, right across the state line in Massachusetts, has failed to meet expectations for revenues and profits, and its plan to build a $675 million casino complex on Bridgeport’s waterfront has never received approval by the legislature.

The tribes plan a gaming resort called Tribal Winds to be developed at the site of the former Showcase Cinemas in East Windsor, right across the state line from the MGM Springfield. Construction has not yet begun on the site.

Lamont’s plan has been rejected so far by the tribes, who have spent nearly $20 million in planning, design and demolition costs on the $300 million East Windsor casino.

Ryan Drajewicz, Lamont’s chief of staff, said the governor’s “primary objective” is to “do what’s best for the state of Connecticut, not the narrow interests that so often dominate this issue at the expense of the citizens of this state.”

In return for giving up East Windsor, officials said the tribes would also receive permission to run sports betting across the state and conduct iGaming.

The XL Center, built in in the mid-1970s, operated by the Capital Region Development Authority and Comcast Spectacor, reportedly needs hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and renovations. If the tribes were to take over the XL Center, it would be upgraded and continue to host NCAA basketball and minor league hockey.

Mashantucket Pequot tribal Chairman Rodney Butler said, “We’re looking at a global solution—looking at sports betting, online gaming, extended liquor hours, casinos in Bridgeport, casinos in Hartford, and we’re trying to wrap it all into one conversation. It’s complicated.”

Lamont said he’s motivated to develop a plan that can succeed, sans legal challenges. “If this gets stuck in the legal muck like it’s been for the last five years, we’re not going to show any progress,” Lamont said. “I wanted something that made sure we didn’t get stuck in a legal ditch for the next five years. … I wanted something that allows us to get going with sports betting and internet gambling.”

“Those aren’t things that I do or care particularly about, but that’s part of the 21st century,” he continued. “Our neighbors are beginning to do it, and I want to get going on it. I just worry that if we have a partial solution that leads to another round of litigation, we’re not going to be any better off.”

Democratic Senator Cathy Osten, a staunch supporter of the tribes, said, “I’ll revive any [gambling] idea that lets us get off the dime, and I don’t have to sit around and talk about gambling for the next three years—because in terms of my priorities, I’m not sure it’s in the top 20.”

Osten pointed out that the tribes are the seventh- and eighth-largest employers in the state and account for more than 15,000 jobs. Their casinos attract millions of customers every year with more than half of them coming from out of state. Over the past 27 years, the tribes have contributed $8 billion to the state in a revenue-sharing agreement that allows them to operate slot machines.

Tribal Winds Casino Ct

The Connecticut Mirror cited Andrew Doba, a spokesman for MMCT, the joint venture of the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans. “They are not willing to walk away from the Tribal Winds Casino in East Windsor, a project where they’ve invested nearly $20 million.”

Casino In Windsor Ct

Lamont seems stuck on the revitalization of the XL Center. “I’ve got a priority to fix the XL Center and make that what it should be, as a center for this growing city of Hartford,” he recently said. “And I’ve reached out to a number of different groups as we think about a public-private partnership, which is the best way for us to do it. It’s not simply a matter of the taxpayers throwing money at the XL Center, but working with a strong partner so it could be as vibrant as it could be.”

A bill filed by Osten would grant the tribes exclusive rights to online sports betting in Connecticut, authorize them to jointly operate the casino in Bridgeport and open sports-betting “entertainment zones” in Hartford and two other unspecified communities. The tribes countered that they already have exclusive rights to sports betting in Connecticut should it be legalized in any form here.

The tribes also say East Windsor would siphon customers from MGM Springfield, while a Bridgeport casino would cannibalize the tribes’ own Connecticut patrons, pulling from its Fairfield County and metro-New York.

The General Assembly passed legislation in 2017 that authorizes MMCT to build the East Windsor casino. MGM sued before the bill passed, claiming it would violate the equal protection and commerce clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

In another glitch, the tribes have yet to obtain financing for the $300 million project, and they still are fighting local zoning appeals that they say are financed by MGM. Both tribes have outstanding debts of $1.8 billion.