Neanderthals target Wampanoags; Pinball Hall on the move

A strange, one-third-of-a-page ad appeared in the July 19 edition of The Hill. “For over 30 years,” it huffed, “the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe sought federal recognition for the specific purposes of opening a CASINO [Horrors! — Ed.] — in 2007, that recognition was achieved via Congressional and Department of Interior intervention — and ILLEGAL contributions to federal officials.” Already we have a problem, because the Department of Interior did not ‘intervene’: It was performing its function of arbitrating tribal-recognition matters. The ad goes on to mention to 2009 conviction of former Mashpee chief Glenn Marshall for making illegal campaign contributions. Since Marshall victimized the tribe as well (which the ad conveniently forgets to mention), his prison term was rightly not held against the Wampanoags in their land-into-trust application.

Now the ad goes into overdrive: “ENTER POCAHONTAS! Lifelong gambling opponent and CLAIMED Cherokee native Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sponsors legislation to CIRCUMVENT U.S. FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND THE LAW OF THE LAND to help the Mashpee Tribe get their CASINO.” We’re opposed to Warren’s bill and have said so (and have noted her newfound support for casinos, welcome though it is). But the “Pocahontas” jibe — used three times — is a racist trope, popularized by Donald Trump and used here as a broad brush to tar Warren and the Mashpee alike. This is anti-tribal bigotry and deserves to be called out as such.

But who do we call out? The ad says it is “Paid for by the Coalition to Restore American Values.” This is an organization so obscure it can’t be found on the Internet. Several searches, including one of the Federal Election Commission, came up empty. The closest one can come is the Coalition for American Values, but that’s a Koch Brothers stalking horse, trotted out whenever Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) needs support. The verbiage of the Hill ad suggests a bunch of anti-gambling zealots but, if that’s the case, why all the subterfuge? After lengthy consideration, we suspect rival casino developers of posturing in Puritan drag. No suspects have been identified by those with motive would include Mohegan Sun and would-be Brockton developer Neil Bluhm. Since Bluhm looms large in Democratic Party fundraising, wouldn’t it be ironic if he were the one behind this shameful ad?

* In a truly alarming development, the Pinball Hall of Fame is closing. But there might be a sequel. Owner Tim Brown wants to move to the Las Vegas Strip. Considering the number of tourists who ventured off-Strip to check out the Pinball HoF we’d say there’s a demand for the attraction, which operated a satellite location at the Riviera during Andy Choy‘s stewardship of the casino. Arnold’s druthers are to move to the site of the old Sombrero Motel at the tail end of the Strip.

Of the Riviera era, Arnold says, “We were generally happy with the way it went, but the Hotel would NOT give us any kind of a time comittment [sic], limiting us to a year-to-year contract. When the Riv was sold and imploded, we lost all our customer goodwill we had worked so hard to build. The lesson learned was DON’T LEASE!” Arnold came close to a deal on a former K-Mart but was outbid. (It went to a wealthy church.) The Sombrero site was on and off the market before Arnold bought the land — across from Mandalay Bay — for $4,589,000. But … Arnold had to take out a $1 million bridge loan (plus interest) to get the Strip acreage. So he’s turning to the pinball community, hoping to make up the shortfall by selling memberships, starting at $50 in the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, maxing out at $500. Perks include being invited to the grand opening (“no screaming kids,” Arnold warns) at the Sombrero location. S&G wishes them all the good karma in the world. We love the Pinball HofH and can’t imagine Las Vegas without it. It’s one of the area’s short-list must-see attractions.

* We haven’t heard anything about high-speed rail from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in a long time. Perhaps the ongoing agony of the California bullet train has something to do with that. Certainly its insanely spiraling cost would give Vegas train planners pause — or ought to do so.