The state is looking to protect its dwindling tax revenue that comes from the two tribal casinos. In 2007, the state’s 25 percent share equated to $430 million. In 2017, that number was down 38 percent to $267 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The August opening of the $960 million MGM Springfield casino just five miles north of the Massachusetts-Connecticut border is seen as a further threat to cut gross gambling revenue at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.<\/p>\n
Now, it appears MGM Springfield will retain its gaming monopoly on the region, and presumably poach some Connecticut residents to its casino floor.<\/p>\n
When the Connecticut Assembly reconvenes in 2019, lawmakers will be tasked with deciding which course of action, if any, to take in deciding the future of gambling in the state. Bridgeport representatives introduced legislation during the last session to revoke the East Windsor license in favor of holding a competitive bidding process where both commercial and tribal groups could present proposals.<\/p>\n
That would, however, cancel the tribes’ gaming compacts and allow them to operate Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun without sharing a nickel with the state. MGM contests that the state’s decision to allow the Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes to operate a casino on non-sovereign land would have legalized commercial gambling.<\/p>\n
\nThe thorough and unambiguous federal court ruling can only be seen as a clear rejection of the Tribes’ insistent efforts to obtain a no-bid commercial casino license in Connecticut,” MGM Resorts said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
MGM’s pitch is that just as the casino operator did in Springfield, an integrated resort in Bridgeport would revitalize the struggling city and provide much-needed jobs, tourism, and taxes.\u00a0MGM has pledged a $50 million license fee, minimum $675 million investment, and $8 million in annual aid to Bridgeport.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MGM Resorts says its offer to build a $675 million commercial casino resort in Bridgeport, Connecticut, still stands after a federal judge’s decision has thrown a planned tribal satellite gaming facility in East Windsor into jeopardy. In a statement to 22News WWLP, MGM said Connecticut lawmakers should “pass legislation calling for competitive bids on any […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":89510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[60,18,18456],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
MGM Resorts Says Connecticut Should Hold Competitive Bidding Process<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n