Aquinnah Tribe Looks to Build Casino in Fall River

A Fall River city official said that the Martha's Vineyard-based Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has set its sights on building a casino in Fall River, according to an article in the Cape Cod Times.

The Cape Cod Times reported today that, “In a voice mail message left late in the day Monday, Ken Fiola, executive director of the Fall River Redevelopment Authority, said the tribe has reached out to the mayor's office with interest in building a casino in that city. In 2010, the Aquinnah had a deal with a private developer to build a casino on 240 acres, but Fall River officials rejected the idea, in large part, because they were in negotiations with the Mashpee Wampanoag.”

Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais said in an email to MVPatch that, “Yesterday we requested that Governor Patrick enter into formal gaming compact negotiations with the Tribe, pursuant to state and federal law.”

The Times reported, “State leaders have been clear that they don't agree that the Vineyard tribe shares the same federal rights to a casino that the Mashpee tribe does.”

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) became a federally acknowledged tribe on April 10, 1987 through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and believes they have the same federal rights as Mashpee. “As we have consistently reiterated; the Tribe is committed to pursuing every viable opportunity as we continue on our path of self-reliance,” said Andrews-Maltais.

On February 29th, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe entered into an option to buy land in Taunton on which it intends to build a resort casino.