TAUNTON, Mass. — A group of Massachusetts residents is challenging the federal government’s decision to grant the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe reservation lands for a casino.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Boston argues the Department of Interior isn’t authorized to take lands into trust for tribes recognized after 1934. The Mashpee were federally-recognized in 2007.
Adam Bond, a lawyer for 25 Taunton residents named in the suit, says the 2015 decision that granted the Mashpee 151 acres in Taunton was “completely unprecedented.”
Cedric Cromwell, the tribe’s council chairman, called the lawsuit a “desperate attempt” by rival casino developer Rush Street Gaming, which confirmed it’s partly financing the suit.
The Chicago-based company proposes a casino in nearby Brockton. An Interior Department spokeswoman said the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.