CASINO OF THE WIND OPENS AND WE STILL LOSE

IN AUGUST, 2008 THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO OPENED ITS NEW CASINO OF THE WIND. EVEN THOUGH IT OPENED. IT DID NOT STOP THE SLOT LOSSES.

THE MOHEGAN SUN SLOT REVENUES FOR SEPTEMBER COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE WAS DOWN 13.3%. THE NET FOR SLOTS FOR THE MONTH WAS 67.0 MILLION DOLLARS ($67,000,000.00), THERE WAS 6,739 SLOT MACHINES IN OPERATION. THE MOHEGAN SUN SENT THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 16.8 MILLION DOLLARS (16,800,000.00.)

FOXWOODS WAS DOWN 15.9% IN SLOT REVENUES COMPARED TO THE SAME MONTH THE YEAR BEFORE. FOXWOODS NET SLOT REVENUES FOR SEPTEMBER, 2008 WAS 56.8 MILLION DOLLARS ($56,800,000.00) ON A REPORTED 8,268 SLOT MACHINES. FOXWOODS SENT THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 14.1 MILLION DOLLARS ($14,100,000.00). ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS AVERAGED A DROP IN SLOT BUSINESS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER OF 18.6%.

TALKING ABOUT THE CASINO OF THE WIND, MITCHELL ETESS CEO OF THE MOHEGAN SUN SAID, "I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO SAY THAT IT DID GIVE US A BUMP. IT MIGHT SOUND ODD, BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR DECREASE AND THE DECREASE IN ATLANTIC CITY AND AT FOXWOODS, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE CASINO OF THE WIND DID HELP."

BARRY CREGAN, INTERIM PRESIDENT OF FOXWOODS SAID, "WE ARE PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT'S OF OUR WORK FORCE AND ARE CONFIDENT THAT, AS NATIONAL CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IS RESTORED, WE ARE WELL POSITIONED FOR A ROBUST FUTURE."

WHAT IF THE ECONOMY DOES NOT COME BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS? WHAT ABOUT THE INCREASED COMPETITION FROM TWIN RIVERS IN RHODE ISLAND, THE CASINOS IN NEW YORK AND EVENTUALLY THE POSSIBILITY OF CASINOS IN MASSACHUSETTS?

IN MY OPINION, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, THE MOHEGAN TRIBE SHOULD STOP THE BUILDING OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH WE CLEARLY CAN NOT AFFORD. IT IS ONLY GOING TO HURT THE TRIBE'S CREDIT.

WE DO NOT NEED TO GO FROM AN ESTIMATED ONE HUNDRED AND TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($102,000,000.00) DEBT AT THE MOMENT TO OVER AN ESTIMATED TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR ($200,000,000.00) DEBT. THE ESTIMATED PRICE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY CENTER IS BETWEEN EIGHTY NINE MILLION AND ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($89,000,000.00 TO $100,000,000.00).

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE DEBT FOR THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING WILL BE BEING PAID OVER THIRTY YEARS ENDING IN THE YEAR 2045.

TRIBAL MEMBERS THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR DEBT AND THE DEBT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE NEED TO STOP THIS NOW.