Connecticut lawmakers heard from those in favor of and against opening a third casino in the state.
During that forum, representatives from the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot Tribes said they could make public very soon their preferred location for the state's first casino off of tribal land. Windsor Locks and East Windsor are the two finalists selected by the tribes.
“We’re days, we’re not weeks or months, we’re days from announcing a decision about the ultimate location of this third casino," said Kevin Brown, Mohegan Tribal Chairman.
Brown said he believes the state has had a transparent process going back two years when they initially announced their plan to jointly run a casino in order to compete against MGM as it opens a casino in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Brown and casino allies have said the issue is all about economic growth, and maintaining critical employment in the state, along with crucial state tax dollars that come from the casinos.
He said the state sat back for too long as New York and Rhode Island legalized commercial gambling, and that led to serious losses on the Southeast Connecticut facilities.
“When we stood still last time, each of our facilities lost upwards of 2,000 jobs each. If we stand still this time, the same thing will happen.”
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For its part, MGM provided testimony against opening a commercial casino in the proposed locations, and argued the process was closed from the start.
Uri Clinton with MGM Internation told lawmakers, "the residents of Connecticut deserve an open and transparent process." Clinton argued that the very fact that no other gaming operator was allowed to compete for a casino license made the process an opaque one from the beginning.
Richard Velky, the Chief of the Schagticoke Tribal Nation, which has not been recognized by the federal government, said he's bothered by the same fact. He says the tribes' compact with the state could and should be in jeopardy if they open a casino off either reservation.
“Look, if they were to do something on their reservation I’m in full support of it. They have that right. They’re a sovereign nation, but once they leave the reservation that should be open for anybody and everybody who can show that they can start and finish the project.”
Lawmakers would have to approve a third casino, and the governor would have to sign off on any bill that made it to his desk.
Sen. Tony Hwang, a long time gambling opponent, said he thinks lawmakers may change their minds once more pitfalls of gambling come to light, as a result of the casino process currently underway.
“Let us not dismiss that these are lives affected by gambling addiction that are not being addressed. When it’s a public forum and it’s a stacked deck against the people that are going to be impacted, I don’t think it’s fair," Hwang said.
