Thursday, 4:30 PM
Wampanoag and Middleborough hope to agree on casino by July 28, tribe says
By Globe Staff
Negotiations between the town of Middleborough and a representative of the Mashpee Wampanoag were "friendly and productive" today, as the two sides continued discussions about plans for a resort casino, the tribe said.
"Both parties agreed to meet early next week, with the hope that an agreement can be reached," Scott Ferson, a spokesman for the Wampanoag, said in a statement.
The two sides hope to present an agreement to voters at Town Meeting on July 28.
Today's discussions were announced after relations between the two sides appeared to deteriorate over a draft proposal the town presented to the Cape Cod-based tribe last week. Middleborough demanded hundreds of millions of dollars upfront in exchange for supporting a casino. The Wampanoag rejected the proposal in a letter to town officials Wednesday.
On Thursday, Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston seized on the apparent rift and invited the tribe to build its gambling complex at the Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston.
