The Connecticut legislature is expected to bring a plan for a third casino sponsored by the Pequot and Mohegan tribes to a possible vote during the upcoming session.
The tribes have been working for the past year and more to identify a location for that third casino, which is intended to try to staunch the bleeding to casino revenue expected when the $950 million MGM Springfield opens in 2018 in neighboring Massachusetts. The Assembly’s approval is required to actual build the facility.
Support from lawmakers is likely since the state is looking at a deficit of at least $1.4 billion. While some loss to the MGM Springfield is inevitable, almost everyone involved sees the need to try to limit that loss.
The tribes envision a $200 to $300 million slots casino in the Hartford area, near the border with the Bay State. They currently operate Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun, and, before forming this partnership, with the fiercest of rivals.
Since the state legalized tribal gaming in 1993 the state has collected almost $7 billion. The tribes contribute 25 percent of their slots winnings as per their state tribal gaming compacts. Last year that was $118.4 million from Foxwoods and $147.4 million from the Mohegan Sun. The state’s Office of Fiscal Analysis has estimated that the MGM Springfield will drain $68.3 million from the state annually. As many as 9,300 jobs are also threatened, according to some reports.
Andrew Doba, a spokesman for the joint authority that the tribes have formed, commented last week, “We are fully aware of the negative impact MGM’s facility will have on both jobs and revenue.”
The tribes have entertained proposals from South Windsor, East Windsor, East Hartford, Windsor Locks and Hartford.
