The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, a federally recognized Indian tribe in southeastern Connecticut that owns Foxwoods Resort Casino, has been awarded a $2.5 million federal grant to explore the possibility of launching a generic drug production facility in the state.
The funding was awarded by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023. The Act provided the EDA with $483 million in funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022.
The Tribe may use the funds to develop “a comprehensive feasibility study” for the launch of a generic drug production facility that it would own and operate.
According to the EDA, “The comprehensive study will help move the project from viability to feasibility, define the product mix based on sound market research, develop organization structures and systems, and conduct the preliminary design of the proposed manufacturing facility and production lines.”
No other details about the project were provided.
In a written statement, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said the “funding will provide the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe with important resources to advance Connecticut-based drug research and development.”
In addition to Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which is led by Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler, owns or manages a number of other businesses, including The Spa at Norwich Inn, online sports betting and casino games platform Wondr Nation and Foxwoods El San Juan Casino, among other ventures.
