The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, operators of Connecticut’s most popular resort casino, say it is forming a consulting company to try and ply a winning hand managing gambling properties elsewhere.
Authorities said Thursday that Mohegan Gaming Advisors will leverage the tribe’s experience running the flagship Mohegan Sun resort casino in the Uncasville section of Montville and the tribe’s smaller Pennsylvania property – Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs – to contract with other casinos and gambling operations across the United States.
The Connecticut property opened in 1996, and Pocono Downs opened in 2006. In May, the tribe announced it would develop a third property in the Catskills region of New York.
The Mohegans also are making a push to build a resort casino in Palmer, Mass. if that state approves resort gambling.
“We are ready to assist casino and entertainment operations in both mature and emerging gaming markets, as well as in the conception, planning and implementation of new ventures,” said MGA President Gary Van Hettinga said in a statement.
MGA will highlight its time spent over those years dealing with city and state governments as it seeks out consulting agreements and management contracts.
This move is the latest in a series of steps taken by the tribe to expand its reach beyond its Uncasville property, especially as gaming revenues have declined and the cost of borrowing money for new projects and expansions has increased.
