Mashpee Wampanoags Nab Investors, Write Brief

Since we're getting increasingly bored with dropping cash on the quick fix of a scratch ticket, and gas prices are high enough to deter drop of the hat trips down to Connecticut for a little full service gambling, eyes have turned to the possibility of casino gambling in the Bay State. We mapped it out a couple weeks ago when we first imagined the slow creep of the casino into Massachusetts, but it seemed to be more of a bingosino option at that point, but developments in the story this week might paint a different picture. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has landed some celebrities in the world of tribal casinos: Sol Kerzner and Len Wolman. The pair invested in Mohegan Sun and helped build it into the destination for gambling it is currently, they also are the bastards who have us singing "take me to the river" about 23 hours a day. Starwood Capital (the group that once owned Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which includes Sheraton and Westin among others, but has since sold the Starwood Hotels and Resorts division) has also joined the bankroll team looking to bring a Mashpee Wampanoag casino into Massachusetts.

Two of three major hurdles toward a casino in Massachusetts have been cleared: they've got the land, they've got the funding. Now all they need is to get legislative approval. Or do they? Ahh, Massachusetts, where legal loopholes have given us such great decisions for the empowerment of citizens in recent years (e.g. same sex marriage), might be open to bringing casino gambling into the Commonwealth without the approval of the legislature. Or at least that's what the Mashpee Wampanoags would like you to believe. The tribe is circulating a legal brief that puts the power in Patrick (Gov. Deval Patrick that is). This move has got to piss off Sal DiMasi who opposes casino gambling in the state and has been looking forward to squashing it in the legislature. Some political infighting this summer is likely as the tribe continues to push the issue – now with the added support of big investor dollars. A $1 billion casino could soon be on the way.

Look closely - the image is of a bingo card with the Commonwealth as the "free" space. Bingosino or casino gambling may be in the State's near future.