Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced Wednesday that he is against a plan to put a casino in Mashpee. The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe wants to put the 500 acres of land intended for their casino and resort in Middleborough, Mass., into a federal land trust.
If the land were to become a federal trust, it would effectively be a part of the tribe’s territory, making the state unable to share in the gambling proceeds or regulate any effect it would have on the surrounding area.
The Patrick Administration submitted an official objection with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, stating the lack of regulation available as the reason for his opposition to the proposal.
Specifically, regulation would be needed for “potential adverse impacts on wildlife and natural resources; zoning and land use concerns [
