Mar 20, 2008 12:20 pm US/Eastern
Wampanoags Reveal Casino Plans To WBZ
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Casino gambling is moving ahead in Massachusetts, even though Beacon Hill is poised to say no to Governor Patrick's plan.
WBZ chief correspondent Joe Shortsleeve has an exclusive first look at blueprints for what the Wampanoag Indian Tribe hopes to build here with permission from the federal government.
The chairman of the Wampanoag Tribe Shawn Hendricks shows for the very first time the designs for a 500,000 square foot Native American casino in Middleboro. "Our developers are world class developers and they have built facilities like this and larger."
In fact, the tribe's developer built the Twin Rivers Casino in Rhode Island, but the real inspiration in Middleboro is the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. "Mohegan Sun is a nice facility...a very nice facility... and it will look like that," said Hendricks.
Site plans just being made public show what may be to come. From Route 44, you drive in the main entrance where a large casino and a 1,200 room hotel await you.
Behind a parking garage, out back there will more parking and soon an 18-hole golf course and other resort amenities. "Do you think the people of Middleboro will be happy with this?" asked WBZ's Joe Shortsleeve.
"I think so," said Hendricks. "I think so. It is what we have talked about from the beginning."
Construction has not begun in Middleboro and won't begin until the federal government allows the tribe to take the land into trust as their reservation -- a sovereign independent nation.
Patrick acknowledges that even if his casino plan dies in the legislature, a special deal -- or compact with tribe -- may be in the state's future. "One way or another there will be casino gambling in Massachusetts."
The tribe predicts the federal government will approve their reservation, and they want to start construction on these plans one year from now.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is the federal agency that will approve these plans. They will hold hearings next week in Middleboro about the impact of this proposal.
Meanwhile, a committee of lawmakers rejected Patrick's casino plan on Wednesday and the full house is expected to do the same on Thursday -- killing it for this year.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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