MGM Resorts International is getting hoist on its own petard in a new attack ad, which uses quotes cherry-picked from Massachusetts Casino Commission testimony to show CEO Jim Murren and President Bill Hornbuckle coveting the Connecticut customer base. Naturally, the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegan Tribe are behind this TV spot. 
They’ve also been airing their grievances to Gov. Dannel Malloy (D), who said of MGM, “Let’s not argue that they’re the defenders of commerce. They’re not. They want their exclusive piece of the pie, based on the casino in Springfield.” MGM’s argument is that a Bridgeport casino, which it now desires, would draw more heavily from New York City. However, that’s prime territory for Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. So, either way you look at it, MGM is trying to point a knife at the tribal casinos’ jugular.
Further up the road, in Taunton, the Mashpee Wampanoags are working on a Plan B for land taken into trust. The Trump administration declined to challenge a federal court decision that voided the Wampanoags’ land-into-trust application. No, the tribe hasn’t given up 
on the casino, budgeted at $1 billion and including 3,000 slots machines and 190 table games. But they’re also focused on schools, housing and a fishing industry. “Once you have quality housing, you can have quality health and quality education,” said tribal Chairman Cedric Crowmwell.
Or as Bridgewater State University boffin Simone Poliandri put it, “The tribe is a community; a community needs a place to be,” he said. “You can think of land not only as a place to live, but a place to build — that includes economic development. These are very hostile, negative people that are racists. They’re very anti-tribe. They don’t know the history of their country — they’re standing on this land because of us. They’ve done a lot of hurt and pain to my people.” No, he wasn’t referring to the Trump administration but to descendants of the Pilgrims, whom the Wampanoag have been fighting for four centuries. Still, with so much investment on the line, the Mashpee Wampanoag are probably best advised to wait upon the Interior Department and hope for the best.
* Considering Las Vegas Sands‘ Luddite stance on technology, we have to tip our cap to its entry to the 21st century. It has launched a new Facebook Messenger application which enables direct booking of Venelazzo hotel rooms. As CMO Lisa Marchese put it, “Messaging apps have surpassed social networks in terms of monthly active users and we saw Facebook Messenger as an immediate and authentic way for our guests to engage with our brand.”
