The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe announced at its General Membership meeting on Sunday that it has selected the Chickasaw Nation as its development partner for its Class II gaming facility on Martha’s Vineyard.
The tribe plans to offer Class II games such as bingo and electronic versions of bingo at the small gaming facility in the town of Aquinnah.
According to the official press release (pdf)…
Global Gaming Solutions, the commercial business of the Chickasaw Nation, will assist the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head with its gaming facility on the Massachusetts island in the Atlantic just south of Cape Cod.
In a Wednesday press release, Chairwoman, Cheryl Andrews-Maltais (pictured far left), said…
“We are beyond pleased that the right of the Aquinnah Wampanoag to conduct gaming on our tribal lands has been unequivocally affirmed by both the federal appeals court and Supreme Court of the United States.
“Now we look forward to partnering with another tribe to bring economic development to Aquinnah and Martha’s Vineyard. The Chickasaw Nation’s success speaks for itself and we are honored to be in partnership with them.”
Located in Oklahoma, the federally recognized Chickasaw Nation is one of the most prolific Native American Tribes in North America. Its WinStar World Casino and Resort, located in Thackerville, Oklahoma has 600,000 square feet of casino floor making it the world’s largest casino.
In January the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe won the right to open a gaming facility on its homelands, when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected petitions in Massachusetts v. Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head and Town of Aquinnah v. Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, putting an end to a long-running sovereignty dispute.
Chief Executive Officer for Global Gaming Solutions, Skip Seeley said…
“Developing gaming and entertainment operations that further the economic development goals of Native American Tribes is central to our business charter.
“We are excited to partner with the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe as they launch this project to support the local economy in Martha’s Vineyard and create opportunities for their tribal citizens.”
Chairwoman Andrews-Maltais said, “As the People of the First Light, we are the stewards of our lands, and we’re dedicated to preserving the atmosphere and beauty of the Island. Any gaming facility we operate will blend in with the rest of the Island, and the Tribe will work with local businesses to create a positive economic impact for our neighbors in the larger Island community.”
According to the Vineyard Gazette, Aquinnah selectman Jim Newman said…
“They’re calling it a press release, but we haven’t talked about it and they haven’t discussed it with us in any way.
“We don’t know if they are going to need fire, police and ambulance. And if they do, it’s not going to come free . . . it’s not going to come from our taxes,” he said.