<p>The gaming arm of the Wampanoag Tribe announced Wednesday that it will partner with an Oklahoma tribe to open a bingo hall in Aquinnah.</p>
The gaming arm of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) announced Wednesday that it will partner with an Oklahoma Native American gaming operation to open a bingo hall in Aquinnah.
Global Gaming Solutions, a hospitality enterprise owned by the Chickasaw Nation, is the new partner in the venture, according to a brief announcement by the tribe.
“We look forward to partnering with another tribe to bring economic development to Aquinnah and Martha’s Vineyard. The Chickasaw Nation’s success speaks for itself and we are honored to be in partnership with them,” tribal chairman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais said in a press release that was sent Wednesday to at least one Aquinnah selectman and the executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, among others.
“They’re calling it a press release, but we haven’t talked about it and they haven’t discussed it with us in any way,” said Aquinnah selectman Jim Newman. “We don’t know if they are going to need fire, police and ambulance. And if they do, it’s not going to come free . . . it’s not going to come from our taxes,” he said.
The press release offered few details about the venture, but the Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation, a business arm of the tribe, described its plans at a tribal membership meeting Sunday in Aquinnah, according to two members who attended the meeting but asked not to be identified by name.
Property off State Road was taken into federal trust last year.
Property off State Road was taken into federal trust last year.
Global Gaming Solutions has agreed to an initial investment of $12 million to build a 10,000-square-foot bingo facility that will employ 100 people, tribal members were told.
The bingo hall will be open year-round and located on a 17-acre piece of land that abuts State Road between Moshup Trail and Black Brook Road, the current entrance to tribal headquarters. The land was purchased in 2014 and accepted into trust on behalf of the tribe last year by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The building will be oval-shaped with a covered front entrance for weather protection, tribal members were told. There will be 249 slot machines in a main hall and six more at a bar, for a total of 255. No kitchen is planned.
Ms. Andrews-Maltais did not immediately return repeated phone calls and text messages from the Gazette.
The tribe was cleared to operate a class II (bingo) gambling facility by a federal appeals court early this year after a protracted legal battle with the town and a taxpayer group came to an end. At the time Ms. Andrews-Maltais said a bingo facility would be up and running by this summer.
The press release called the Chickasaw Tribe “one of the most progressive, successful and financially strong Native American tribes in North America,” noting that it has designed and opened more than 30 casinos, including with electronic games. On its website, Global Gaming Solutions features two multimillion-dollar horse racing resorts it has developed in Oklahoma and Texas.
Mr. Newman said plans for the Aquinnah bingo hall have remained a mystery.
“I’ve asked them about it but haven’t gotten a response,” he said.
Mr. Newman said he expects the selectmen will call a special meeting to discuss the matter before their next regular meeting which is not until Sept. 4.
“The selectmen need to sit down and talk about this and it can’t wait until our next regular meeting,” he said.
“And it won’t be a closed meeting,” he added.
Comments
Here is a link about this
William ExPBA Chilmark/NYCHere is a link about this company http://www.globalgamingsol.com/index.html
This casino is possibly a front for a resort. See this Boston Globe article:
http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/03/04/hedging_…
Greed and no accountability
MikeD WTGreed and no accountability
An off Island tribe helping to develop a gaming facility.
Why would they care what happens here as long as they can make money.
The busses and crowds will change 'Their Sacred land'.
What gives.
Does the tribal council really think this is good thing for the Island or just the few that may prosper.
I think it is the later.
Greed does stupid things to stupid people.
Will they operate year round?
Jimmy PowellWill they operate year round? That's the real question to answer here.
According to the article, yes
Aron West TisburyAccording to the article, yes.
Got to drive through Chilmark
Mr. B ChilmarkGot to drive through Chilmark to get there...and back. West Tisbury, too. Lots more big buses on those roads, dealing with runners, walkers, mopeds, bicyclists and our children. Got a mailbox on the road? Think how you'll feel with those behemoths cruising by at the speed limit and edging over as the propane truck approaches. Lots more taxis and vans and Ubers, too. And on into the nights as well.
Next: Selling tax-free tobacco products on the property.
Gambling is never an answer
Jeff WinterGambling is never an answer to help a local economy. I grew up near Atlantic City. This city still remains a mess.
Right on Pastor Jeff. Totally
Doctor J EdgartownRight on Pastor Jeff. Totally agree.
I knew from beginning this was much more than a bingo hall. Very sad for our Vineyard!
This will be a disaster for
Aron West TisburyThis will be a disaster for the Wampanoag and the Island as a whole.
Mark my words.
Gay Head now Aquinnah drew me
Richard OBGay Head now Aquinnah drew me to MV 29 years ago. It is the most beautiful peaceful place I know. Paying to park and to use the toilet were a small price to pay to visit. There have to be other ways to raise money that won’t destroy the land the Tribe holds dear. For if it is financially successful, then the town will never be the same. Good luck keeping the gamblers from destroying the sacred cliffs and keeping their hands off the clay.
Let’s start process to charge
J KatamaLet’s start process to charge a heavy toll for all buses traveling thru Chimark to Aquinnah. Let’s tax their use commensurate with damage to island. The tribe decision making comes from off island members who obviously don’t care about island - just their pockets. Disgraceful.
The article notes six more
Lost poet EdgartownThe article notes six more (slot machines) at a bar.
Will the alcohol be sold? If so, there will be OUI drivers about. Not good.
I think this is going to be
Black Jack Vegas StripI think this is going to be awesome. A place to play games and grab a drink with friends. West Tiz and Chilmark can put up more speed traps to generate revenues for their towns, or set up ancillary businesses to feed of the flow of people. Hopefully they can be open by next summer. Giddy up!
This is a lot to do about
Chris OBThis is a lot to do about nothing. How many people will travel to the ferry, then board a bus to travel to the casino, then travel back home. More than likely it will be filled with year rounders, especially in the off-season. Lots of gambling halls do very little outside business. This is not a convenient place to travel to and there is little to do off-season to attract other business. All those places have that have big casino business have places to eat, excellent shopping, etc. What do we have here, t-shirt shops? The crowds will not come, maybe some from the Cape on weekends but it won’t be as many as you think.
Honest Question here: How
abe mvHonest Question here: How many year-rounders do you think will go to the Casino?
What could go wrong? Let's
BillyB OBWhat could go wrong? Let's see -- 16 mile drive from SSA in VH. Slots at the bar. No food served. Sounds like we'll have plenty of DUIs coming from up island.
There may well be negative
Liz Durkee Oak BluffsThere may well be negative impacts from a gaming facility in Aquinnah but I respect the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head’s (Aquinnah) right to pursue the project. This country’s treatment of Native American’s has been disgraceful, hateful and immoral. For better or worse the federal government passed a law allowing gaming as a means of economic development for Native American tribes. The courts have upheld the Tribe’s right to pursue gaming in Aquinnah. To the non-Native American residents in Aquinnah who are outraged at this turn of events, please keep in mind that you settled in a historically Wampanoag community.
Dear Liz, Please refer to the
James Donahue ~ upisland ~Dear Liz, Please refer to the agreement the tribe made with the state and the town when they gained federal recognition. They agreed to one thing and a federal court ruling the following year allowed them to go back on their word. Legal? Yes. Ethical? Not in my opinion.
A bingo hall is NOT what was envisioned with tribal recognition. I support a powerful and thriving Wampanoag nation in Aquinnah. I just don't see a bingo hall/bar being the path to that.
I suggest the gaming arm of
Sara Green North CarolinaI suggest the gaming arm of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head take a roadtrip through tribal lands in Oklahoma. There you will see the glitter of the casinos and the unfortunate living conditions of the local tribal community.
It’s all too obvious there that the money does not go to help the local people. Please don’t relinquish your treasure of land and history just to increase the bottom line of a distant corporation.
Good point Sara. I would not
Rich AtkinGood point Sara. I would not be surprised if only a select few reap the benefits from this business.
Chances are 35 to 1 that the
J.B. CTChances are 35 to 1 that the bingo hall will bring happiness to anyone except the owners.
I am often amused when people
M. Klein EdgartownI am often amused when people refer to going off island as "going to America". MV is indeed part of the USA but leaves some of the negative parts of "America" behind. Why do we want to purposely bring this very negative aspect of America to our beautiful island?
I respect your views, but the
Chris OBI respect your views, but the island is really not far off from the good ole rest of the country. Racism, check! Elitism, check! Poverty, check! Segregation, check! Corruption, check, check!! Taxes, check!! Sure, gambling in my opinion is addictive and really aimed at making money off of the poor, who only gamble more and more in a false sense of “One day I’ll win big!” However, that is their land and if they wish to bring gambling, so be it. We fought it and we lost, fair and square. But, there are lots of ways to minimize the damage. We already have alcoholism and drug use, so in order to minimize the third part of the trifecta for community destruction you simply do what we Dems love to do, regulate. Regulate nighttime bus use, regulate the speed limit, enforce DUIs....
Here's an excerpt from a
Jane Norton ChilmarkHere's an excerpt from a petition to Skip Seely, Global Gaming Solutions CEO, asking that management at one of their facilities be changed.
"The park we know and love is hemorrhaging money, lacking in quality service, propping up sub par employees who are not dedicated to Global Gaming's vision, underpaying their quality dedicated employees from managers down to bussers, fostering a culture of secrecy, and not valuing its guests who spend their hard earned money at the "Park."
Source: https://www.change.org/p/skip-seeley-ggsol-net-brad-harris-for-presiden…
Does Global Gaming or the tribe have a plan regarding their workforce, which is estimated to be about 1/3 of the year round population of the entire town? If the folks at Global Gaming had done due diligence they quickly would have discovered that workforce housing is one of the most serious problems here, not unemployment.
Let’s see how many times this
Bingo Bill EdgLet’s see how many times this script plays out: spend a couple hundred bucks on slots and liquor. Stumble to your car. Spend another $5k fighting your Chilmark dui. I’m baffled as to why the tribe plans to serve liquor, but no food. Defense lawyers will make the fortune here.
the casino will happen so get
diane edgartownthe casino will happen so get ready everyone. we will need legal advise from lawyers with experience in dealing with the plight of casinos. there can be and must be strong regulations set in place and they must be set in place with the thought of worst case scenario. this is a disaster, in my mind, for the island. if there was someway the island could buy or lease the land from the tribe with a much more productive and financial sustainable project, maybe just maybe the tribe would listen....but cry all you want, the land is the tribes to do as they see best for their people. unless we, as an island can convince the tribal leaders to see the light and come up with an alternative solution, watch out MV.
All the points made about the
JM 02539All the points made about the influx of tour buses are spot on. I hope they are charged a healthy additional fee by the SSA for eating up space on the ferries and somehow taxed further by island municipalities for the increased wear / tear on roads. Of course, that doesn’t help with the people who drive on their own, further contributing to congestion, etc. Maybe it is time for implementation of premiums to be charged for all ferry vehicle traffic that doesn’t involve island taxpayers or licensed contractors coming to the island? These premiums can increase with the size / capacity of the vehicle and / or the number of occupants. Other businesses on island will complain that said measures discourage people from visiting, but sadly there needs to be some way to pay for / moderate the impact of this most unfortunate development.
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