Ned Lamont: A Bridgeport casino must include tribes
Any agreement for a casino in Bridgeport will have to include the state’s Native American tribes, Gov. Ned Lamont told a gathering of newspaper editors and publishers Friday.
It was the first time Lamont had acknowledged publicly that he favors a tribal casino for the Park City, saying the state is a partner with the tribes and it is critical to adhere to the compact that prohibits the state from authorizing a casino on non-tribal land in exchange for revenue from the tribes’ casinos in eastern Connecticut.
He said the proposal put forth by Bridgeport officials late in the just-concluded legislative session was inadequate but that talks would continue. He did not directly address the issue of MGM Resorts International's proposal for a casino in the city.
Lamont was largely excluded from an 11th hour push by Bridgeport legislators and city leaders to bring a casino to Bridgeport through lastminute legislation. Though Lamont stamped out the idea on the last day of the legislative session over concerns it hadn’t been fully vetted or reviewed, a casino deal could be revived in a special legislative session this summer.
“Governor Lamont remains committed to a global resolution that positions Connecticut for a future that includes gaming,” Lamont spokeswoman Maribel La Luz said at the time.
The joint proposal from the city and Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes included a $100 million tribal investment in a casino, $100 million from the state and possibly the city for nearby infrastructure and $100 million — or more — for a resort hotel financed by a private company.
The total project would bring $350 million in economic development to Bridgeport, the tribes and city envision.
Efforts to bring a casino to Bridgeport date back to the early 1990s and have died before. Any agreement faces immense hurdles including legislative approval and the threat of litigation from MGM , which has lobbied for years for the opportunity to bring a $675 million waterfront resort casino to Bridgeport.
The agreement is expected in the form of legislation that would also legalize sports betting — and grant the tribes valuable permission to operate sports books. That could invite a lawsuit from New Haven-based gaming firm, Sportech, which runs offtrack betting in Connecticut.
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes now operate Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos respectively. They have permission to construct a joint casino Tribal Winds in East Windsor, but appear to not yet have financing to start the build.