Lamont: 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 last-minute 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 Havenbased gaming firm Sportech, which runs off-track betting in Connecticut.
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes 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.