SMOKING AT THE CASINOS

ONE NIGHT, A COMPANION AND I WERE AT THE MOHEGAN SUN HAVING A GREAT TIME. WE WALKED FROM THE SKY CASINO THROUGH THE RETAIL CORRIDOR IN TO THE EARTH CASINO. WE TURNED AND STARTING WALKING THE OUTER RING (CORRIDOR) OF THE EARTH CASINO.

THAT'S WHEN IT HAPPENED. MY COMPANION LIT UP A CIGARETTE. A MOHEGAN SUN CASINO EMPLOYEE CAME UP TO US AND SAID YOU CAN'T SMOKE HERE. WE SAID, WHERE? THE EMPLOYEE SAID THE OUTER RING (CORRIDOR). WE ASKED, SINCE WHEN? WE WERE TOLD A COUPLE OF WEEKS. MY COMPANION PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. AS I WALKED AWAY, I TURNED AND ASKED AND WHY DID THE CASINO DO THIS? THE ANSWER BOTHERED ME. THE ANSWER WAS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT, BECAUSE GOVERNOR RELL SAID THE CASINO HAD TO. THE EMPLOYEE WAS VERY CORDIAL AND PROFESSIONAL.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LAST STATEMENT BECAUSE THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO IS ON THE MOHEGAN RESERVATION. THE MOHEGANS ARE A SOVEREIGN NATION THAT IS ABLE TO MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS.

I BELIEVE THAT THE CONNECTICUT CASINOS SHOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE STATE AND TRY TO FIND A REASONABLE SOLUTION ON THE SMOKING ISSUE. I BELIEVE, WE (MOHEGAN TRIBE) WANT TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS AND OUR CUSTOMERS, FROM THE HARM OF SECOND HAND SMOKE. I BELIEVE THE THE MOHEGAN TRIBE IS NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH.

THE GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT CAN NOT TELL OR SHOULD NOT BE TELLING THE CASINO WHAT TO DO ON SMOKING. THE GOVERNOR AND THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT CAN COME TO SOME FORM OF AGREEMENT ON SMOKING. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CONNECTICUT, RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, HAS SAID THAT IN THE COMPACT THE TRIBES WILL TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYEES HEALTH AND WELFARE. IN OTHER WORDS BECAUSE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE EMPLOYEES AND PATRONS HEALTH, THE STATE COULD BECOME INVOLVED UNDER THIS CLAUSE.

WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE HIRED BY THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO, THEY MUST REALIZE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORKING IN AREAS WHERE SMOKING TAKES PLACE. IS IT FAIR AFTER THEY ARE HIRED AND WORKING FOR THE CASINO, FOR THE EMPLOYEES, TO SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO WORK WHERE THERE IS SMOKING? DIDN'T THE EMPLOYEES REALIZE THE RISK?

SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING OUT, IS THAT AT THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO, THEY SUPPOSEDLY HAVE A POLICY THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS A HEALTH REASON, (PREGNANCY FOR EXAMPLE) THE CASINO WILL IMMEDIATELY MOVE THE EMPLOYEE TO A NON-SMOKING AREA.

A PERSONAL OBSERVATION, IS THAT THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO (CONNECTICUT SEEMS TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM THAN FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS AND EVEN THE MOHEGAN SUN AT POCONO DOWNS (PENNSYLVANIA). IF IN FACT, THE SYSTEM IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER CASINOS, THEN MAYBE THE MOHEGAN SUN SHOULD BE DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY.

THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO HAD ALREADY, BEFORE STARTING TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT, DONE A GREAT DEAL OF THINGS TO PROTECT ITS WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS. CUSTOMERS CAN NOT SMOKE IN THE RESTAURANTS, BUFFETS, FOOD CORRIDORS, THE SHOPPING AREA (STORES), IN THE STORES, HOTEL LOBBY, CERTAIN HOTEL ROOMS, HOTEL HALLWAYS, STAIRWAYS, ELEVATORS, AND SOME NON-SMOKING GAMBLING AREAS IN THE CASINO.

ANOTHER OBSERVATION, IN MY OPINION, IS THAT INSTEAD OF MAKING DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CASINO SMOKE FREE, WHY NOT JUST MAKE THE SKY CASINO COMPLETELY SMOKE FREE. IT WOULD STILL LEAVE THE EARTH CASINO AND THE CASINO OF THE WIND SMOKER FRIENDLY. I THOUGHT THE SKY CASINO, BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GO FROM THE HOTEL THROUGH THE RETAIL AND RESTAURANT AREA AND THE SKY CASINO. YOU WOULD BE IN ENTIRE AREA TOTALLY SMOKE FREE WITHOUT EVER GOING INTO A SMOKING AREA. .

BARS AND RESTAURANTS FEEL THAT THE CASINOS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SMOKE WHILE DRINKING IS UNFAIR TO THEM. THEY ARE RIGHT. WHAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IS THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES THAT GO TO CONNECTICUT. I VENTURE TO SAY THAT IF YOU CHECKED IT OUT, THAT ALL THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THE ENTIRE STATE, DO NOT CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH IN REVENUE TO THE STATE AS THE MOHEGAN SUN AND THE FOXWOODS RESORT CASINOS.

I BELIEVE, THAT MAKING SMOKING FREE AREAS, SHOULD BE THE SAME AS THE COMPETITION. IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERCENTAGE OF NON-SMOKING AREAS, SHOULD BE THE SAME, AS SAY TWIN RIVERS IN RHODE ISLAND, OR YONKERS RACEWAY IN WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK. THE SAME PERCENTAGE IDEA SHOULD ALSO BE USED FOR ANY FUTURE COMPETITION (CASINOS, RACINOS) THAT MIGHT BE BUILT IN THE FUTURE (MASSACHUSETTS).

THE MOHEGAN SUN CASINO, FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, AND MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS, NEED TO NEGOTIATE A VIABLE PLAN FOR THE SMOKING AND NON-SMOKING AREAS IN THEIR CASINOS. THIS IS A TIME FOR THE TWO TRIBES TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THEIR WORKERS AND PATRONS. WHAT DO YOU THINK?