The Schaghticoke Tribal Nation vowed Friday to challenge the constitutionality of a state law that lays the groundwork to authorize a third casino in Connecticut.
Chief Richard L. Velky said the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (STN) will file the suit Monday in federal court in Hartford.
In a statement, Velky argued that Special Act 15-7, passed last summer, violates the equal protection clauses of the U.S. and state constitutions.
“Without any competitive bidding or gaming study, Connecticut shut out STN and awarded to one pair of Native American tribes the exclusive ability to develop a highly-valuable commercial enterprise,” Velky said.Â
Both of the tribes to which he referred, the Mohegans and the Mashantucket Pequots, are federally recognized, while the Schaghticokes are not.
The announcement comes one month after a mix-up with the Secretary of the State’s office, which said it accidentally approved an incorporation application submitted by the Schaghticokes stating that the purpose of the proposed limited liability corporation was to pursue a commercial casino.
The state denied a similar application over the summer from gaming operator MGM, which is building a casino in Springfield and has already challenged Connecticut’s casino law in court, according to the Connecticut Mirror.
