MMCT, the joint casino venture between Connecticut’s gaming tribes, the Pequots and Mohegans, moved a step forward on an East Windsor casino when the city’s planning and zoning commission voted to approve of the special zoning for the satellite casino.
The tribes, once bitter rivals, are now united in their purpose to build a $300 million, 188,000 square foot casino by 2020. The casino, aimed at blunting some of the effects of the MGM Springfield, will have 2,000 slots, 60 gaming tables and 10 poker tables. It would also have three restaurants and retail shopping.
With the zoning change approved, the next item for the commission to vote on is the site plan.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Joe Ouullette remarked, “It’s consistent regarding the zone in town so it’s consistent with all the other commercial development and it would be a tremendous economic opportunity for East Windsor and the region in general.”
The tribes have gotten one of two approvals needed from the Department of the Interior that will allow them to operate a commercial casino in the state. The tribes submitted amended tribal state gaming compacts to the department, asking for Interior to publish the amended compacts in the Federal Register. It has done that for Mohegans’ compact, but not for the Pequot compact.
The state law that authorized the casino requires that both compacts be accepted and published by the department.
The tribes plan to begin construction this fall, with a likely opening date of spring of 2020, they told the commission. Recently unveiled plans show a one-story building with an attached five-story parking structure, all on the site of the former Showcase Cinema, which was demolished several weeks ago.
Architect Dan Thornton told commissioners that the design’s intent was a “warm, inviting and convenient,” property.
Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot tribal council, commented, “From the start, we pledged to create a world class facility that will be a draw for people throughout the entire region.” He added, “These renderings help bring to life our vision for the site, and we thank the town for working with us every step of the way through the local approval process.”
Kevin Brown, chairman of the Mohegan tribe, added “This gaming and entertainment facility will create jobs, and it will provide additional revenue to the state at a time when every dollar is precious.”
MGM, which will open the Springfield casino in August, has fought the tribes every step of the way in their efforts to build a commercial casino. Supporters of the tribe suspect that MGM has used its political influence to cause the Interior Department to slow down its approval process.
The state and both tribes sued the Department to force it to act. Because it has now acted for the Mohegans’ compact, they have withdrawn from the suit.
MGM says it will also fight the tribes in the courts. It argues that its constitutional rights were violated when the state did not allow it to compete for the casino license that has been granted to the tribes.
Meanwhile the tribes reported slots revenues for last month.
Slots revenues for Foxwoods was $38.5 million for May, a 2.5 percent drop from the previous year.
The Mohegan Sun reported $51.73 million in slots revenue, a 2.3 percent increase.
