After legislators and tribal leaders on Tuesday proposed adding three new Connecticut casinos to stem the loss of gaming revenues to surrounding states, the man most responsible for its passage in the House warned advocates they are running out of time to get the measure passed into law this year.
The proposal from several legislators and the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes calls for up to three casinos jointly run by the tribes to be built along the I-91, I-95, and I-84 corridors to prevent casinos in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island from siphoning off more revenues from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville and Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket. Of particular concern is the MGM resort opening in Springfield, Mass. in 2017.
While he is supportive of the concept, House Speaker Brendan Sharkey said supporters of the bill still need to identify the locations, secure host community agreements, develop a revenue-sharing policy with the state, and gain the necessary legislative approvals before the end of session in June, if the measure were to pass this year. With the House and  Senate debating numerous other bills, notably the two-year, $40 billion state budget, time is running short, Sharkey said.
If the casino bill doesn’t pass this year, it would have to wait until 2016, decreasing the likelihood new facilities could be built before MGM opens in Springfield.
The proposed legislation is scheduled for a March 17 hearing before the Public Safety & Security Committee. The bill would allow slot machines and table games at what would be considered three satellite locations to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods.
A study by Pyramid Associates of Massachusetts said Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods have lost $600 million in revenues over the last eight years due to competition from other states, even though the two Connecticut casinos held a duopoly over the Northeast less than 15 years ago. The state receives 25 percent of all slot machine revenues, so the losses directly impact the state budget.
