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Nice stop in the area for a rest from driving or for some food, drink or a casino action. Easy in and out and friendly place. Date of experience: February 2018. Native Lights Casino, Newkirk: Hours, Address, Native Lights Casino Reviews: 3.5/5. Lights offers gamblers a 5x3 playing field with 9 paylines, and makes up for that lack of paylines by guaranteeing players the presence of two Wilds at every given spin, as well as a lucrative.
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Nation | Tribe: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Routes 24 & Route 140Taunton, MA 02718First Light Casino Status
Casino Project stopped by the Fed Government (March 2020)
In March 2020 the U.S. Interior Dept has removed the tribe’s reservation status which effectively ended this casino project. Details
Court Reversal (June 2020)
On June 5, 2020 a U.S. district judge stopped the DOI from moving the Mashpee Wampanoag land out of federal trust and ordered the DOI to ’review the matter and issue new findings’. Details
Current Status
The First Light Casino project for Taunton, MA is currently ON HOLD pending the U.S. Department of Interior’s appeal in U.S. district court of the June 2020 ruling.Casino • Live Dealer • Poker • Sports#1 Choice of U.S. Players! Mobile, tablet and desktop! $3,750 in Welcome Bonuses! BOVADANews HeadlinesWill 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 moreTribal land dispute over proposed Taunton casinoDecember 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 extortionNovember 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 Judge sides with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe against DOIJune 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 moreFed court places hold on DOI from taking Mashpee land out of trustApril 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 moreMashpee Wampanoag loses reservation statusMarch 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 Headlines continued...Casino Proposal
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe 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/Outdoorpater park, a family water park hotel and many restaurants.
For more information, see the following topics:History & Status
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 Interior Cepartment’s removal of the reservation land from trust. The court issued a summary judgement in June requiring the DOI to ’review the matter and issue new findings’.
The court ruling is currently under appeal from the DOI.
In November 2020 the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman was indicted for bribery and extortion in a case related to the architectural design of the casino.
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Click For Practice PlayNo Signup • Instant PlayDirect access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.Fast & SexyBirds of FuryDragonsBig Cash WinChamps ElyseesCatsinoMultiplier ManKoi GardenMega WinsBOVADA
Click For Practice PlayNo Signup • Instant PlayDirect access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.BlackjackSingle DeckDouble DeckCrapsBaccaratRouletteCaribbean Hold’emLet’em RidePokerBOVADAGaming 150,000 sq-ft casino 3,000 slot machines 150 table games 40 poker tables ADVERTISEMENTCASINO • LIVE DEALER • POKER • SPORTS$3,750 in Welcome Bonuses at BOVADA! Restaurant Food Court - 7 to 10 food outlets International Buffet Two Fine Dining Restaurants (Steakhouse / Seafood and Asian Center Bar with lounge seats and small stage HotelRetail 10 retail stores Parking 3,200-space parking garage 2,085 surface-parking spaces 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 Completion in Summer 2017
Casino 150,000 Sq. Ft. 3,000 slots 150 table games 40 poker tablesRestaurants Food Court - 7 to 10 food outlets International Buffet Two Fine Dining Restaurants - Steakhouse / Seafood - Asian Restaurant Center Bar with lounge seats and small stageRetail Space - 10 retail storesParking - 2,500 to 3,200 space parking garage and 2,085 surface parking spacesPHASE 2Completion schedule 2018
Hotel Tower 1 300 Rooms Additional gaming space 12 Stories in height Spa Large Pool Roof Terrace 6 Event / Meeting RoomsPHASE 3 Completion schedule 32-60 Months
Hotel Tower 2 300 Rooms Cafe restaurant - 200 seat, open 24 hoursPHASE 4 Completion schedule over 60 Months
Family Water Park Hotel 300 Rooms
Event Center - 15,000 sq ft
Indoor/Outdoor Water Park - 25,000 Sq. Ft.
Parking - additional 700 surface parking spots#1 Poker Choice of U.S. Players The most popular and highest-rated online poker room for US players! MOBILE and desktop! BOVADA POKER $500 Poker Welcome Bonus News ArticlesWill 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoTribal 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Charged With Bribery In Casino Development - Courtesy of CBS BOSTON, Nov 13, 2020. Available from YouTube
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoJudge 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.’
Judge Sides With Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe In Lawsuit Over Reservation StatusCourtesy of CBS 4 WBZ Boston. Available from YouTube
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoFed 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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’.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoFirst 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.
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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.
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The Mashpee Tribe will then submit their response by July 26.
The are two possible outcomes expected from this case:
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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.
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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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoU.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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoTrump’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. 375Introduced 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Re-affirmation Bill Goes to Congress
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Nice stop in the area for a rest from driving or for some food, drink or a casino action. Easy in and out and friendly place. Date of experience: February 2018. Native Lights Casino, Newkirk: Hours, Address, Native Lights Casino Reviews: 3.5/5. Lights offers gamblers a 5x3 playing field with 9 paylines, and makes up for that lack of paylines by guaranteeing players the presence of two Wilds at every given spin, as well as a lucrative.
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Nation | Tribe: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Routes 24 & Route 140Taunton, MA 02718First Light Casino Status
Casino Project stopped by the Fed Government (March 2020)
In March 2020 the U.S. Interior Dept has removed the tribe’s reservation status which effectively ended this casino project. Details
Court Reversal (June 2020)
On June 5, 2020 a U.S. district judge stopped the DOI from moving the Mashpee Wampanoag land out of federal trust and ordered the DOI to ’review the matter and issue new findings’. Details
Current Status
The First Light Casino project for Taunton, MA is currently ON HOLD pending the U.S. Department of Interior’s appeal in U.S. district court of the June 2020 ruling.Casino • Live Dealer • Poker • Sports#1 Choice of U.S. Players! Mobile, tablet and desktop! $3,750 in Welcome Bonuses! BOVADANews HeadlinesWill 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 moreTribal land dispute over proposed Taunton casinoDecember 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 extortionNovember 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 Judge sides with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe against DOIJune 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 moreFed court places hold on DOI from taking Mashpee land out of trustApril 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 moreMashpee Wampanoag loses reservation statusMarch 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 Headlines continued...Casino Proposal
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe 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/Outdoorpater park, a family water park hotel and many restaurants.
For more information, see the following topics:History & Status
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 Interior Cepartment’s removal of the reservation land from trust. The court issued a summary judgement in June requiring the DOI to ’review the matter and issue new findings’.
The court ruling is currently under appeal from the DOI.
In November 2020 the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman was indicted for bribery and extortion in a case related to the architectural design of the casino.
Click For Practice PlayFREE SLOTS • No Signup • Instant Play Exclusive Free Play! Select any of these three slot games for exclusive access inside BOVADA CASINO. No player signup is required. No deposit.777 DeluxeCasino Light ShowA Night with CleoTen Times Wins
Click For Practice PlayNo Signup • Instant PlayDirect access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.Fast & SexyBirds of FuryDragonsBig Cash WinChamps ElyseesCatsinoMultiplier ManKoi GardenMega WinsBOVADA
Click For Practice PlayNo Signup • Instant PlayDirect access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.BlackjackSingle DeckDouble DeckCrapsBaccaratRouletteCaribbean Hold’emLet’em RidePokerBOVADAGaming 150,000 sq-ft casino 3,000 slot machines 150 table games 40 poker tables ADVERTISEMENTCASINO • LIVE DEALER • POKER • SPORTS$3,750 in Welcome Bonuses at BOVADA! Restaurant Food Court - 7 to 10 food outlets International Buffet Two Fine Dining Restaurants (Steakhouse / Seafood and Asian Center Bar with lounge seats and small stage HotelRetail 10 retail stores Parking 3,200-space parking garage 2,085 surface-parking spaces 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 Completion in Summer 2017
Casino 150,000 Sq. Ft. 3,000 slots 150 table games 40 poker tablesRestaurants Food Court - 7 to 10 food outlets International Buffet Two Fine Dining Restaurants - Steakhouse / Seafood - Asian Restaurant Center Bar with lounge seats and small stageRetail Space - 10 retail storesParking - 2,500 to 3,200 space parking garage and 2,085 surface parking spacesPHASE 2Completion schedule 2018
Hotel Tower 1 300 Rooms Additional gaming space 12 Stories in height Spa Large Pool Roof Terrace 6 Event / Meeting RoomsPHASE 3 Completion schedule 32-60 Months
Hotel Tower 2 300 Rooms Cafe restaurant - 200 seat, open 24 hoursPHASE 4 Completion schedule over 60 Months
Family Water Park Hotel 300 Rooms
Event Center - 15,000 sq ft
Indoor/Outdoor Water Park - 25,000 Sq. Ft.
Parking - additional 700 surface parking spots#1 Poker Choice of U.S. Players The most popular and highest-rated online poker room for US players! MOBILE and desktop! BOVADA POKER $500 Poker Welcome Bonus News ArticlesWill 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoTribal 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Charged With Bribery In Casino Development - Courtesy of CBS BOSTON, Nov 13, 2020. Available from YouTube
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoJudge 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.’
Judge Sides With Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe In Lawsuit Over Reservation StatusCourtesy of CBS 4 WBZ Boston. Available from YouTube
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoFed 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee 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’.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoFirst 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.
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The Mashpee Tribe will then submit their response by July 26.
The are two possible outcomes expected from this case:
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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.
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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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoU.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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoTrump’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. 375Introduced 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.
Back Full Page >First Light CasinoMashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Re-affirmation Bill Goes to Congress
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