Native run casinos thriving side by side

Page36

A proverb states that "The devil goes share in gaming."

While some may agree, profits from two tribal-owned casinos in southeastern Connecticut benefit several deserving partners. Tribe member are guaranteed jobs and free education for life and the state of Connecticut get $200 million annually, representing 25 per cent of the slots. This region of the state was severely hit by defence industry cutbacks and the casinos have been a major lifeline for Connecticut as well as the tribes.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, which opened Foxwoods Resort Casino five years ago, is the largest revenue provider to the state after the federal government. Employing 11,000, it also contributes to local schools, inns, businesses and arts organizations. Foxwoods remains the most profitable casino in the nation, despite the opening of Mohegan Sun in October 1996 just 16 km away.

Remarkably, both casinos appear to be thriving. One explanation is they are the only two legally authorized casinos in the northeast besides Atlantic City. The other reason is demographics - roughly 22 million people live within a 250-kilometre radius.

Foxwoods was never concerned about its close competitor, insisted spokesman Bruce MacDonald. "What we are finding is we have a loyal customer base," he said. "This summer we had 47,000 people a day. Some holidays we've seen 74,000 in a 24-hour period." He added that while "most people scratch their heads," about this lack of concern "there's enough business to go around."

Jayne Fawcett, vice chair of the Mohegan Tribe, agreed.

"I don't see that we compete - we support each other," she said. "We think it would be a mistake to think we focused on them at all. Our facilities are very different. Mohegan is making a strong cultural statement."

Fawcett, 60, is a former social worker and school teacher who was taught to value culture by her aunt Medicine Woman Gladys Tantaquidgeon, now 98, and her uncle, the late Chief Tantaquidgeon.

While her aunt was "lukewarm" to the idea of a gambling casino, she changed her mind after walking through it with her sister and seeing all the authentic Mohegan artifacts.

"This is the most heavily themed Indian casino in the United States," proclaimed Fawcett. "Her sister said to Gladys, 'We thought you would lose your culture. Now we see that you have not."

The two casinos have certain similarities. Both are among the four largest in the United States and both are governed by a tribal council of under 10 members. Both provide jobs in the casino to any tribal member who wants one - although the Mohegans have 1,200 member and the Pequots, 400.

One measure of the heavy customer base at Foxwoods was the opening of another4,500-square-metre casino in July and an 832-room hotel tower and conference centre that's opening next spring. The rationale is that too many patrons have been lost to Mohegan because of packed gaming floors and restaurants.

"We have had trouble accommodating everyone," MacDonald acknowledged. "That's why we are expanding. Some people come here and have gone over there."

Also scheduled for completion in mid-1998 is the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Cultural Research Center. The $130 million, 27,700-square-metre facility will be the largest of its kind in the United States. Through photographs, sculptures and diaries, the tribe will tell its own story about its thriving culture before European contact. A 20-minute film will recall the 1637 Pequot Massacre in which English soldiers killed up to 700 Pequots in less than an hour and nearly destroyed the region's most powerful tribe.

@@