“I haven’t seen the proposed bill, and no one has talked to me about it. I won’t vote for this bill in the Senate because, among other reasons, this proposal fails to realize that the moment an RFP is out on the street, our longstanding tribal compact is in jeopardy of being broken,” said state Senator Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) said. “This proposal is just another attempt by MGM to waive the snake oil in front of legislators, and it comes after a year of thoughtful deliberation in which legislators and advocates painstakingly described the need to preserve existing casino jobs in eastern Connecticut.”
“I think some members of the Bridgeport and New Haven delegation, no matter how well-intentioned they are for their constituents, have been badly misled by MGM lobbyists regarding the legality and the likelihood of success of this proposal,” said state Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague). “If this proposal proceeds – which I doubt it will – I will vehemently oppose it. Connecticut is already on track to open a new tribal casino in East Windsor that will protect existing casino jobs in the state and grow new jobs, and which will help our economy, and that progress shouldn’t be derailed.”