Middleborough Casino
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The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe (the ones who helped the Pilgrims not starve to death in the 1620s, and one of the many tribes nearly obliterated in King Philip's War of 1675 and 1676) are trying to open a casino in Massachusetts. The proposed casino would be the 3rd in New England. The tribe was just recognized by the Federal government, and has the legal right to build a casino anywhere within a 50 mile radius of their hometown (they have to buy the land, of course). The radius ends just south of Boston. The Mashpee Wampanoags recently purchased a 350 acre piece of land in Middleborough, MA.
Middleborough is about 40 miles south of Boston, a few miles west of Plymouth, and about 25 miles east of Providence. It's a medium sized town with about 20,000 residents. The location is perfect for a casino. Right off of I-495, close to Route 24, and at the end of a Commuter Rail Line. The proposed casino would be more convenient for most Rhode Islanders and eastern Massachusettsicans(?) than going to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. It's also right on the way to Cape Cod, which should entice a great deal of vacationers going down the Cape.
But Massachusetts was founded by religious extremists, and that Puritanical morality still permeates much of eastern Mass. culture. People are concerned that a casino will bring in gamblers, who will in turn bring in other vices. The people of Middleborough envision that right after any casino opens, a horde of prostitutes and a few thousand drug peddlers will invade and consume their quaint little town (which is 96% white). Property values might go down, and ethnic people might move in. And we all know that coloreds can't resist a chance at a quick buck. (I'm being sarcastic)
These holier than though suburbanites point to dens of inequity like Atlantic City, conveniently going right past Ledyard, CT (Foxwoods) and Montville, CT (Mohegan Sun) where the only real crime that goes down is the $5 time rake at Foxwoods' $1/$2 No-Limit.
They also forget about the dog track in Raynham, a mere 9 miles away. Gamblers go there to watch and bet on Greyhounds, yet when I went there, the place was sorely lacking for hookers and drug dealers.
A casino could mean big money for the Mashpee Wampanoag, who had their land seized and their population nearly wiped out by many of our ancestors. This is no hand out, this is merely an opportunity for a tribe to regain some power (and viability) that was stolen from them 350 years ago.
This is also an opportunity for Massachusetts to make some dough. Millions and millions of dollars leave the state every year on their way to the Connecticut casinos. This is a chance to keep some of that money here. Like Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, the Mashpee casino will probably have to pay slot machine revenues to the state. Furthermore, the casino will create thousands of jobs.
The debate will go on for some time, but the Mashpee's would like to have their casino in place by 2010. I really hope it happens. It'll be great for Massachusetts, for the Wampanoags, and for me. Middleborough is only 30 miles from my hometown, and the drive is an hour shorter than going to Foxwoods. And the poker room at Foxwoods, although nicely decorated, very large, and teeming with fish; is a wretched place.
The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe (the ones who helped the Pilgrims not starve to death in the 1620s, and one of the many tribes nearly obliterated in King Philip's War of 1675 and 1676) are trying to open a casino in Massachusetts. The proposed casino would be the 3rd in New England. The tribe was just recognized by the Federal government, and has the legal right to build a casino anywhere within a 50 mile radius of their hometown (they have to buy the land, of course). The radius ends just south of Boston. The Mashpee Wampanoags recently purchased a 350 acre piece of land in Middleborough, MA.
Middleborough is about 40 miles south of Boston, a few miles west of Plymouth, and about 25 miles east of Providence. It's a medium sized town with about 20,000 residents. The location is perfect for a casino. Right off of I-495, close to Route 24, and at the end of a Commuter Rail Line. The proposed casino would be more convenient for most Rhode Islanders and eastern Massachusettsicans(?) than going to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. It's also right on the way to Cape Cod, which should entice a great deal of vacationers going down the Cape.
But Massachusetts was founded by religious extremists, and that Puritanical morality still permeates much of eastern Mass. culture. People are concerned that a casino will bring in gamblers, who will in turn bring in other vices. The people of Middleborough envision that right after any casino opens, a horde of prostitutes and a few thousand drug peddlers will invade and consume their quaint little town (which is 96% white). Property values might go down, and ethnic people might move in. And we all know that coloreds can't resist a chance at a quick buck. (I'm being sarcastic)
These holier than though suburbanites point to dens of inequity like Atlantic City, conveniently going right past Ledyard, CT (Foxwoods) and Montville, CT (Mohegan Sun) where the only real crime that goes down is the $5 time rake at Foxwoods' $1/$2 No-Limit.
They also forget about the dog track in Raynham, a mere 9 miles away. Gamblers go there to watch and bet on Greyhounds, yet when I went there, the place was sorely lacking for hookers and drug dealers.
A casino could mean big money for the Mashpee Wampanoag, who had their land seized and their population nearly wiped out by many of our ancestors. This is no hand out, this is merely an opportunity for a tribe to regain some power (and viability) that was stolen from them 350 years ago.
This is also an opportunity for Massachusetts to make some dough. Millions and millions of dollars leave the state every year on their way to the Connecticut casinos. This is a chance to keep some of that money here. Like Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, the Mashpee casino will probably have to pay slot machine revenues to the state. Furthermore, the casino will create thousands of jobs.
The debate will go on for some time, but the Mashpee's would like to have their casino in place by 2010. I really hope it happens. It'll be great for Massachusetts, for the Wampanoags, and for me. Middleborough is only 30 miles from my hometown, and the drive is an hour shorter than going to Foxwoods. And the poker room at Foxwoods, although nicely decorated, very large, and teeming with fish; is a wretched place.
posted by rob | 2:19 PM
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