Taunton Casino | 2024 Updates

Nation | Tribe: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

FIRST LIGHT RESORT AND CASINO

Routes 24 & Route 140
Taunton, MA 02718

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe plan to build a $1 billion destination resort casino in the City of Taunton in Southeastern Massachusetts. The location is 40 miles south of Boston and 20 miles northeast of Providence, RI. The casino will be named First Light Resort & Casino and feature a 150,000 sq-ft casino with 3,000 slots, 150 table games, and 40 poker tables. There will also be a hotel wth two 12-story towers and 300 rooms each, an event center and indoor/outdoor water park.

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First Light Resort Casino

First Light Resort Casino is named for Wampanoag, the "People of the First Light."

The building site for the resort casino lies on 321 acres pf tribal land at Taunton, Massachusetts. The land was purchased by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in 2012 and now held in trust by the U.S. Department of Interior as reservation land. Under federal law this land is legally sovereign and qualified for a casino under the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The land is exmpt from most state laws including casino gambling.

News Headlines

Is a Taunton casino supported by City Council candidates? October 26, 2023 - This week The Taunton Daily Gazette asked each of the 11 city council candidates if they believe a Taunton casino is still a good idea. This was the last of five questions. ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag Casino in Taunton MA - Update Sept. 2023 September 10, 2023 - Representatives from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority will meet with the Taunton City Council in the near future to discuss new proposal for their casino plans ... Read more Former tribal leader sentenced to 3 years in casino bribery case December 2, 2022 - The former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman, Cedric Cromwell, was convicted Nov. 16th of accepting bribes and sentenced to three years in prison. Cromwell was... Read more Taunton casino project sued again by Taunton anti-casino group March 12, 2022 - An anti-casino group of Taunton residents filed a new motion Feb. 14 in a federal appeals court to overturn the U.S. Department of Interior's decision to transfer 321 acres of tribal ... Read more Feds fight renewed legal challenge to block Mashpee Wampanoag casino January 27, 2022 - The U.S. Interior Department is fighting legal opposition against the Mashpee Wampanoag reservation and its planned resort casino. In December the (DOI) confirmed and ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is reconsidering casino plan January 11, 2022 - After the federal government affirmed and restored its reservation status, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is reconsidering its plan to build a $1 billion destination resort in Taunton, MA. As 2022 begins ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag ruling may restart Taunton casino project January 3, 2022 - A new ruling from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) confirms and secures the reservation status of 321 acres in Mashpee and Taunton owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. ... Read more Headlines continued...

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Plan

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has proposed four-phase plan to build a $1 billion casino in Taunton about 40 miles south of Boston and 20 miles from Providence.

The plan includes a 150,000 sq-ft casino with 3,000 slots, 150 table games and 40 poker tables, two 12-story hotel towers with 300 rooms each, indoor/outdoor water park, a family water park hotel and many restaurants.

FOUR-PHASE CONSTRUCTION PLAN

The First Light casino plan calls for construction to be completed in 4 phases. These phases and their estimated schedules are shown below:

PHASE 1

The first phase of construction is expected to take up to 18 months to complete.

PHASE 2

The second phase of construction will take another year to complete.

PHASE 3

The third phase of construction will be completed 32-60 months after groundbreaking.

PHASE 4

The fourth phase of construction will be completed over 60 months after groundbreaking.

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First Light Project Status

The tribe broke ground on construction of the First Light Resort Casino in April 2016. However, a federal court halted the construction in July 2016. Legal challenges have stopped further construction since then,

The U.S. Department of Interior tried to remove the reservation status of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribal land in 2018. that action was stopped by a federal judge, who ordered the department to reconsider its decision. Finally in Dec. 2021 the department ruled the tribe's reservation status was valid and the land remains in federal trust.

The land trust is a prerequisite for building a tribal casino under the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. As 2022 began the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe had the full authorization of the federal government to proceed with construction of the First Light Resort Casino.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has not announced plans to continue or modify the development of the First Light Resort Casino. The Taunton casino project status remains on hold.

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History

2011

The state enacted the Massachusetts Casino Bill extablishing the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) and authorizing three regional casinos and a slots parlor.

2012

A non-binding ballot measure in support of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's casino proposal was passed by voters in Taunton, but rejected by voters in East Taunton where the casino would be built.

2015

In Sept 2015 the U.S. Department of the Interior approved the Tribe's request to take their land into federal trust, including their 152-acre casino site in Taunton. This transfer was completed January 8, 2016.

2016

In April the tribe broke ground to begin construction of their casino.

In July construction stopped when a U.S. District Court judge ruled the federal land transfer violated the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act. The Interior Department appealed.

2017

In April the U.S. Interior Department decided to drop its appeal and seek a legal alternative.

2018

In September Interior Department reversed its decision and conceded that the tribal land could not be kept in trust.

2019

The tribe is seeking federal legislation to overcome its legal challenges to reinstate its trust land and resume its casino project. Two bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representative that support the tribe (HR 312 and HR 375).

2020

In March 2020 a U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a 2016 decision by a lower federal court against the 2015 transfer of land owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe into federal trust.

Later in March the U.S. Department of Interior reversed its decision to transfer the 300 acres of Mashpee Wampanoag land into a reservation.

In April 2020 a federal district judge in Washington D.C. stoppped the reversal of the land trust, and in June 2020 ordered the department to "review the matter and issue new findings".

2021
Finally in December 2021 the case was resolved in favor of the tribe. The Interior Department ruled that the 2015 land transfer into federal trust was valid. The legal status remains in trust.

2022
Another lawsuit to stop the casino was filed with a federal appeals court in February by the anti-casino group of Tauton.

The Taunton casino project is currently on hold.

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News Articles

Is a Taunton casino supported by City Council candidates?

October 26, 2023

This week The Taunton Daily Gazette asked each of the 11 city council candidates if they believe a Taunton casino is still a good idea. This was the last of five questions asked by the paper to inform voters in the Nov. 7 election. The candidates included all nine incumbents and two challengers.

Summary of Candidate Positions

3 - YES, but want renegotiation of gaming agreement
1 - YES, because it will promote job growth
2 - YES, but prefers smaller, commercial casino
5 - Noncommittal

Read the entire article here: "Is a casino in Taunton still a good idea? Here's what City Council candidates say" (The Taunton Daily Gazette)

Tribal Casino Proposal
The Taunton casino is a 2012 proposal by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to build a $1 billion destination resort casino in Taunton to be named First Light Resort & Casino. The original plan was to build a 150,000 sq-ft casino with 3,000 slots, 150 table games, and 40 poker tables. Later construction would add two 12-story hotel towers with 600 total rooms, an event center and an indoor/outdoor water park. Taunton voters approved the plan in 2012.

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Mashpee Wampanoag Casino in Taunton MA - Update Sept. 2023

September 10, 2023

Representatives from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Gaming Authority will meet with the Taunton City Council in the near future to discuss new proposal for their casino plans. The meeting was requested by the Tribal Gaming Authority in a formal letter to the city council dated Aug. 4th. The letter stated the tribe is ready to proceed with a "new interim project will affect the casino project's scope and timing". The meeting date has been announced.

Details of the new Mashpee Wampanoag proposal will be published here following the meeting.

The original plans for a $1 billion dollar resort and casino in Taunton have been delayed for legal issues since 2016. In May of 2022 the former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman along with the owner of the architecture firm were found guilty of bribery and extortion. The court order $250,000 in restitution be paid to the Tribe, and the tribal chairman was sentenced to three years in prison.

In addition, there have been several legal challenges to the legality of the Mashpee casino land. The federal courts ruled that the land was properly transferred into federal trust for the tribe by the Department of Interior in 2015. That validated the land transfer and allows the tribe to build a casino on the site.

The original 2016 plan was to build a casino named First Light Resort & Casino. The casino was to feature 3,000 slot machines, 150 table games, 40 poker tables, multiple restaurants, a water park, and three hotels.

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Former tribal leader sentenced to 3 years in casino bribery case

December 2, 2022

The former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman, Cedric Cromwell, was convicted Nov. 16th of accepting bribes and sentenced to three years in prison. Cromwell was also sentenced one year probation and fined $25,000. The bribes were accepted from an architectural firm working with Cromwell and the tribe to build a casino. The company owner was sentenced to a $50,000 fine and a year of probation under home confinement.

The current Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman, Brian Weeden, issued this statement:

"For over 400 years, the Tribe has fought to preserve its culture, lands and protect its people from constant exploitation and oppression. And yet, we are now facing the ultimate betrayal by one elected and entrusted to lead and act in the best interests of our Tribal Nation and future seven generations."

- Brian Weeden, Tribal Chairman

At this time, plans remain on hold for developing a $1 billion casino, named First Light Resort & Casino, in Taunton, MA.

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Taunton casino project sued again by Taunton anti-casino group

March 12, 2022

An anti-casino group of Taunton residents filed a new motion Feb. 14 in a federal appeals court to overturn the U.S. Department of Interior's decision last December to transfer 321 acres owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe into federal trust for the purpose of building a casino.

This is the second lawsuit filed by the Taunton group lead by David and Michelle Littlefield to stop the casino. A similar lawsuit filed by the same group in 2016 without success.

The group is claiming the federal land transfer into trust is unlawful because the tribe is ineligible for a reservation since it was not federally recognized in 1934 as required by the Indian Reorganization Act.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is not deterred by this new lawsuit.

"We've been at war with the federal government and the colonists for over 400 years. We've been fighting our whole lives and will continue to fight for what's rightfully ours.

"Our ancestors paid the ultimate sacrifice so they (residents of Taunton) could be here.

- Brian Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman

The Interior Department stated in its December ruling on the tribe's land that the previous lawsuit "is moot." The department hopes the appeals court dismisses this case.

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Feds fight renewed legal challenge to block Mashpee Wampanoag casino

January 27, 2022

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is fighting legal opposition against the Mashpee Wampanoag reservation and its planned resort casino. In December the (DOI) confirmed and secured the tribe's 321-acre reservation in Mashpee and Taunton leaving the land in trust and eligible for a federally-approved Indian gaming casino.

On Jan. 14th the DOI filed a legal brief in Boston federal court arguing the court should reject a bid to reopen a previous court challenge based on a DOI decision made by the Trump administration. The DOI says that argument is "moot" after the new decision and reversal made in December under the Biden administration.

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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is reconsidering casino plan

January 11, 2022

After the federal government affirmed and restored its reservation status, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is reconsidering its plan to build a $1 billion destination resort in Taunton, MA. As 2022 begins, tribal leaders want member to rethink their casino dream with "new eyes" that include economic changes over the past five years.

"We're back to the drawing board, basically. There's still an appetite for gaming. It just needs to be a smart approach. It has to be different from the past. We need to learn from our mistakes and proceed with caution."

- Brian Weeden Tribal Chairman

The tribe is considering three alternatives for moving forward:

• Proceed with the First Light Resort Casino project in partnership with their current casino developer partners, Genting Berhad.

• Scale back the plan to a Class II casino or bingo hall, which would exempt the tribe from 17% state tax on gaming revenues.

• Abandon the casino plan and pursue other financial opportunities, such as tax-free gas stations, tax-free smoke shops and recreational marijuana retail stores.

The next tribal meeting is scheduled in Fedbruary.

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Mashpee Wampanoag ruling may restart Taunton casino project

January 3, 2022

A new ruling from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) confirms and secures the reservation status of 321 acres in Mashpee and Taunton owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. The land will remain in federal trust for the benefit of the tribe.

Although the land was approved and transferred into trust in late 2015, the validity of that transaction was challenged by the Trump Administration in 2018. The Secretary of Interior ordered the the land removed from trust status in March 2020. A federal judge stopped the removal and remanded the DOI to reconsider the legal status of the land.

Last week the DOI ruled the 2015 transfer of reservation land into federal trust was valid and the trust status remains valid. A 55-page confirmation letter dated Dec .22, 2021 was sent to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe by the DOI Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.

Now that the legal status of the Mashpee Wampanoag land is established, the tribe has an opportunity to revisit plans to build the $1 billion First Light Casino and Resort project planned for Taunton, MA.

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Mashpee Tribe wins casino victory to proceed

February 19, 2021

Yesterday the U.S. Interior Department withdrew its court appeal in the Mashpee tribe's land-in-trust case, which effectively now returns 151 acres of land in Taunton into federal trust for the Mashpee to build a casino.

An application by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to reserve a casino site was approved by the Department of Interior in 2015, however, that approval was withdrawn last March effectively ending the casino project.

The tribe immediately appealed and in June 2020 a U.S. district judge stopped the Interior Department from proceeding. The court ordered the department to "review the matter and issue new findings".

After eight months and a new administration in Washington DC, the DOI conceded and the Mashpee land will remain in federal trust for a casino site.

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Will Taunton Casino project resurrect under Biden Administration?

January 25, 2021

The $1 billion Native American casino proposed for Taunton, Massachusetts by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe may have a better chance for approval under the Biden Administration.

A reversal from the U.S. Department of Interior and a complex legal battle have completely stopped the project. Last June a federal judge ordered the Interior Department to stop and review the Department's decision to remove the casino land out of federal trust. The Department has appealed the ruling to a U.S. district court.

Now with changes in Washington, there is new hope to revive the Taunton casino project, which will be known as the First Light Resort & Casino. President Biden has nominated Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) to be Secretary of the Interior Department. Ms. Haaland is a tribal member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico and is expected to bring a new perspective to the case.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is hoping the new Interior Secretary will bring a favorable outcome to their First Light Project.

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Tribal land dispute over proposed Taunton casino

December 16, 2020

The Mattakeeset Tribe claims ancestral land rights to the Taunton casino site proposed by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and the Tribe is seeking formal recognition of its land claim from the state and local governments.

The Mattakeeset land claim is based on a recently published book from the Netherlands that mentions a 1664 deed granting the land around Taunton, Middleborough, Bridgewater and parts of Duxbury to the Mattakeesets in perpetuity. The book is published by Jeremy Bangs of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. The museum is dedicated to the Pilgrim Fathers and located in Leiden, Netherlands.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe disputes the claim and plans to build a casino in Taunton named First Light Resort and Casino. The casino site is part of a 300-acre reservation granted to the Tribe in late 2016. The U.S. Department of Interior reversed the decision and "disestablished" the reservation in March 2020. A federal judge stopped the action in June 2020, and the case is currently under appeal by the Interior Department.

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Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman is indicted for bribery and extortion

November 17, 2020

Federal prosecutors in Boston have filed bibery and extortion changes against the Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the owner of an architecture

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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Charged With Bribery In Casino Development - Courtesy of CBS BOSTON, Nov 13, 2020. Available from YouTube

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Judge sides with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe against DOI

June 13, 2020

On June 5 a U.S. district judge in Washington DC issued a summary judgment to stop the Department of Interior (DOI) from rescinding the reservation status of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and ordering the department to "review the matter and issue new findings".

Judge Paul Friedman found the actions of the DOI were "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to law."

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Judge Sides With Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe In Lawsuit Over Reservation Status
Courtesy of CBS 4 WBZ Boston. Available from YouTube

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Fed court places hold on DOI from taking Mashpee land out of trust

April 5, 2020

The U.S. Department of Interior announced a decision last month to "disestablished" the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation status and transfer back the land held in federal trust. The land had been placed into trust in 2016 to allow the tribe to build an Indian gaming casino on it.

This week a federal district judge in Washington D.C. ordered the Interior Department to stop its removal of the reservation land from trust until May 15 while the court considers a request from the tribe for a permanent injunction to block the action.

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Mashpee Wampanoag loses reservation status

March 29, 2020

In a letter from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs last week, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was informed of the decision of U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt to "disestablish" the tribe's reservation and remove its land from federal trust.

In 2015 the Department of Interior transferred the Mashpee Wampanoag land into trust giving the tribe sovereignty rights for self-government instead of local and state government regulation. The step is necessary for building an Indian casino on the reservation under the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell protested the decision:

"Today's action was cruel and it was unnecessary. The Secretary is under no court order to take our land out of trust. He is fully aware that litigation to uphold our status as a tribe eligible for the benefits of the Indian Reorganization Act is ongoing. It begs the question, what is driving our federal trustee's crusade against our reservation?"

After a long legal fight the U.S. Court of Appeals in Boston ruled in February that the land transfer into trust was not in compliance with the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act and should not have been authorized by the Department of Interior.

An attorney for the tribe, Benjamin Wish, says the Interior Department's decision to remove the land from trust is a misinterpretation of the court's ruling:

"No court has ever ordered the Department to take the Tribe's land out of trust. The District Court did not so order. The First Circuit did not so order. In fact, neither court ordered anyone to do anything."

A spokesman for the Department of the Interior, Conner Swanson, cites the court's decision as a mandate for the department's action and reconfirmed the Mashpee Wampanoag remain a federally-recognized tribe.

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Mashpee Wampanoag lose in U.S. Appeals Court

March 1, 2020

Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals in Boston upheld a lower court decision that the U.S. Department of Interior was not authorized under the federal Indian Reorganization Act to transfer land owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe into federal trust. The federal land transfer was completed in 2015 and is the most fundamental step to building a tribal casino.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has lived in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island area for 12,000 years and shared the First Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims in 1621. It was not until 2007 that the federal government granted formal recognition to the tribe.

The court ruled the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 restricted federal land-to-trust transfers for only those tribes recognized prior to 1934. Other courts have expanded the interpretation of this law with newer regulations to permit all federally-recognized tribes to qualify for casino land.

Tribe chairman, Cedric Cromwell, said after the ruling:

"There's no question that this is a grave injustice. We will continue to fight, as our ancestors did, to preserve our land base, our culture and our spiritual connection to our homelands."

The tribe is also looking for support from Congress to override this ruling. The House has passed legislation backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and sent it to the Senate for consideration. However, President Trump opposes the bill which he brands a "special-interest casino bill".

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First Light Casino Project Expects Final Outcome on Oct 15

July 8, 2019

A final decision is pending in DC District Court that will determine whether the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe can build an Indian gaming casino in Taunton, Massachusetts.

After years of legal battles and a 2018 reversal by the Interior Department against the land-to-trust transfer, the final outcome for the Taunton casino will be determined by three groups: U.S. Department of Interior, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the City of Taunton.

Last week the District Court released court filings from each of these groups. Each group agreed to a timetable to reach a final outcome.

• The U.S. Department of Interior has until July 19 to file an additional explanation for reversing its decision to take Mashpee Tribe land into trust.

• The Mashpee Tribe will then submit their response by July 26.

The are two possible outcomes expected from this case:

1. If the Department of Interior approves the Mashpee casino, the tribe will proceed with building the first Light Casino Resort. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is then expected to close licensing other casinos in the southeast region.

2. If the Department of Interior rejects transferring land into trust for the Mashpee, the tribe may seek a commercial casino license for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, or make a political push in Congress to pass federal legislation supported by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts).

The final decision of the DC District Cour is scheduled for October 15.

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U.S. House Passes Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Bill

May 15, 2019

House Bill 312 was passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives after being pulled from the floor last week following President Trump's opposition tweet. The vote was 275 to 146 and included 47 republicans and all but 2 Democrats.

The bill, titled "Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act", would reaffirm the tribe's sovereignty over its 321 acres of land by insuring the land is transferred into federal trust. The tribe intends to use part of that land to build its First Light Resort and Casino.

The bill will now head to the Senate which may or may not take up the measure. If passed by the Senate, It may be vetoed by the President.

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Trump's Tweet Stops Warren Casino Bill

Two bills in the U.S. House of Representatives that would help the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reinstate their casino project were pulled by House leadership just hours before a scheduled vote by the full House.

The decision by Democratic leaders followed a tweet from President Trump that read:

"Republicans shouldn't vote for H.R. 312, a special interest casino Bill, backed by Elizabeth (Pocahontas) Warren. It is unfair and doesn't treat Native Americans equally!" - Trump tweet 11:48 a.m. Wednesday

The bills had passed the House Natural Resources Committee and were on a fast track for a house vote Wednesday. The bills will now move through the regular legislative process.

H.R.312 "Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act"
Introduced 01/08/2019 by Rep. William R. Keating (D-MA)
This bill would reaffirm the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation as trust land and dismiss all pending actions and lawsuits in federal court.

H.R. 375
Introduced 01/09/2019 by Rep. Tom Cole(R-OK)
This bill would amend the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian Tribes, and for other purposes.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren publicly supports the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, but it now appears her support may have become a liability.

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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Re-affirmation Bill Goes to Congress

January 8, 2019

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe hopes the U.S Congress will reconsider and pass legislation to keep the tribe's reservation land in federal trust and allow the tribe to proceed with its casino plans. A Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Re-affirmation bill was reintroduced to Congress on Jan 8 by U.S. representatives William Keating and Joe Kennedy.

"We are extremely grateful that a bipartisan group of Congressional representatives understands the injustice of taking sovereign land away from the first Americans and have moved swiftly to ensure this nation does not return to the dark days of removing indigenous people from their land," wrote Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell in a statement released Monday.

The bill must first pass the Senate and House and signed by the President before a legal challenged can be launched.

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Taunton Casino Plan Appears Dead

September 07, 2018

On Friday a decision was made that put the future Taunton Casino development on hold. The casino project would be owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Cape Cod. The casino would have cost $1 billion to complete.

The tribe was notified that the land where they wanted to build the casino would not be placed into trust for them by the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 2015 300 acres were placed into trust by the department for the tribe. The tribe was then able to use the land as their sovereign reservation as it was declared as such by the federal government. However, long lasting and ongoing legal battles by residents in the area caused a delay in the project. The department was then ordered by a federal judge to reconsider the action of placing the land into trust. The judge ruled that putting the land into trust did not fall under the authority of the department to do so.

In the ruling that was 28 pages long, it was said that land cannot be placed into trust for the tribe under the Indian Reorganization Act. The act was passed in 1934. Under this act, the tribe does not qualify to have the land placed into trust because it was not under the federal jurisdiction when it passed.

The tribe can trace their ancestors back to the arrival of the Pilgrims. However, they did not receive their federal recognition until 2007.

The federal government can grant a special status by placing land into trust. The property title is held by the government and allows for a tribe to use the land for their own use under their own decisions. They are free to use the land's natural resources and are tax exempt.

Ground was previously broken for the Taunton Casino project. However, construction was stopped by the tribe after the ruling.

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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reaffirmation Act would allow construction of Taunton casino

June 21, 2018

As of now, 26 letters of support have been submitted for the proposed bill called the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reaffirmation Act. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe have been attempting to develop a casino in Taunton. Support for the project has been growing recently. 21 individual tribes, nonprofits, and pan-tribal organizations have submitted their support for the project.

Currently the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe are waiting for a committee hearing to be scheduled by state lawmakers. The tribe is interested in ending the legal battles regarding their reservation.

The proposed bill would end the controversy over property ownership. The land in Taunton was agreed upon to be taken into trust for the tribe. However, the land was sold for the price of $1 billion to neighbors that oppose the project after the lawsuit was ruled in their favor.

The concern is that the 150 acres of land in Taunton will be taken out of trust by the U.S. Department of Interior. The tribe also owns 171 acres of land in Mashpee.

Meetings are being scheduled by the Interior Department with tribal leaders from across the country. The meetings are in regard to taking land into trust for the tribes. The department is looking for recommendations on changes for the current regulation.

One of the changes that the Interior Department is considering is how to comply with court orders asking land to be removed from the trust.

Recently Rush Street casino company submitted a letter to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The company is located in Chicago. They are interested in joining with the Brockton Fairgrounds to develop a casino. That casino would cost $677 million to complete.

The proposed casino in Brockton was originally denied in April 2016. The state gaming commission rejected the plan with a vote of 4 to 1. Now Rush Street is asking for a reconsideration for their plan.

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News Headlines Continued

2021

Mashpee Tribe wins casino victory to proceed February 19, 2021 - Yesterday the U.S. Interior Department withdrew its court appeal in the Mashpee tribe's land-in-trust case, which effectively now returns 151 acres of land in Taunton into federal trust for a casino. ... Read more Will Taunton Casino project resurrect under Biden Administration? January 25, 2021 - The $1 billion Native American casino proposed for Taunton, Massachusetts by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe may have a better chance of approval under the Biden Administration ... Read more

2020

Judge sides with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe against DOI June 13, 2020 - A U.S. district judge in Washington DC has issued a summary judgment to stop the Department of Interior (DOI) from rescinding the reservation status of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe ... Read more Tribal land dispute over proposed Taunton casino December 16, 2020 - The Mattakeeset Tribe claims ancestral land rights to the Taunton casino site proposed by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and are seeking formal recognition of their land claim from ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag Chairman is indicted for bribery and extortion November 17, 2020 - Federal prosecutors in Boston have filed bibery and extortion changes against the Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the owner of a design company ... Read more Fed court places hold on DOI from taking Mashpee land out of trust April 5, 2020 - A federal court has ordered the Interior Department to stop its removal of the reservation land from trust until May 15 while the court considers a request from the tribe for ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag loses reservation status March 29, 2020 - In a letter from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs last week, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was informed of the decision of U.S. Secretary of the Interior to "disestablish" the tribe's reservation ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag lose in U.S. Appeals Court March 1, 2020 - A U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision against the 2015 transfer of land owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe into federal trust for the purpose of building a tribal casino. ... Read more

2019

First Light Casino Project Expects Final Outcome on Oct 15 July 8, 2019 - The legal battle of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to build a $1B casino resort in Taunton could reach a final conclusion by the DC District Court on Oct 15. ... Read more U.S. House Passes Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Bill May 15, 2019 - The House passed HR Bill 312 to reaffirm the reservation land of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and allowing construction of the First Light Resort and Casino. ... Read more Trump's Tweet Stops Warren Casino Bill May 8, 2019 - Two bills in the U.S. House that would reinstate the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe casino project were both pulled from a House vote today after a tweet by Pres. Trump. ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Re-affirmation Bill Goes to Congress January 8, 2019 - The Mashpee tribe hopes Congress will take a new look at a bill to keep the tribe's reservation land in federal trust and allow the tribe to proceed with its casino plans. ... Read more

2018

Taunton Casino Plan Appears Dead September 7, 2018 - A federal judge has stopped the U.S. Interior Department from transferring 300 acres of tribal land into federal trust. This may effectively end the Taunton casino project. ... Read more Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reaffirmation Act would allow construction of Taunton casino June 21, 2018 - A proposed bill called the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reaffirmation Act to allow building the Taunton casino is gaining support. ... Read more
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