HARTMANN GOES TO MASSACHUSETTS

Last Friday April 3, 2009, Jeffrey Hartmann, the MTGA (Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority) Chief Operating Officer, went to Springfield, Massachusetts to promote a proposed casino in that state. The MTGA is looking to open a casino in Palmer, Massachusetts (about 55 miles from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut).

A poll that was released five (5) days earlier on Monday, March 30, 2009 was mentioned. The poll was by the Center for Public Analysis at the University of Massachusetts. The report concluded that the residents of the State of Massachusetts would support two or more resort casinos. The results were 51% in favor and 31% against. The survey was of 1,256 random residents. The margin of error was 2.8%.

Clyde Barrow, the Director of the Center of Public Analysis said, "support for casinos is deep and wide, and growing majorities of Massachusetts citizens believe the fiscal and economic benefits of resort casinos will far outweigh any real or imagined social costs."

Hartman said, "The poll results are consistent with our internal research." The MTGA plans to build in Palmer an estimated $500 million to one billion dollar ($500,000,000.00 to $1,000,000,000.00) resort casino.

In my opinion, what the survey really shows is that the people of Massachusetts who were surveyed were looking for a way to help the unemployment situation (create more jobs) and bring tax revenue to the state.

Evidently, Jeff Hartman did a good job of promoting a casino for the MTGA in Massachusetts. The question is do we (the Mohegan Tribe) want to do this? Should the MTGA (the Mohegan Tribal Council) instead be working on making the Mohegan Sun Casino more profitable?

Here we (the Mohegan Tribe) go again. Could this be another Pocono Downs? At Pocono Downs, it is estimated that between 55% to 62% comes off the top and goes to the State of Pennsylvania. The only enmity making out on the deal is the state. In my opinion, the Mohegan Tribe isn't.

Is this expansion or diversification? Does the MTGA have the financial resources to do this? Where is the MTGA going to get the money to fund this project? What other sacrifices will the Mohegan Tribe have to endure because of the MTGA wanting to do this? Is the Mohegan Sun management making the decisions? Are they good decisions?

Is this a case of the tail wagging the dog? Does the majority of the Mohegan Tribe want to do the Palmer project? At what cost to the tribe? Is this like the Project Horizon (Earth) hotel that was stopped being built? Is this like the government community center that was stopped? Could this possibly be another bad decisions by the Mohegan Tribal Council? Do you know? What do you think?