By News Staff
news@abc6.com
BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe have reached a tentative agreement on a compact for a $500 million resort casino in Taunton.
Gov. Deval Patrick announced the deal Wednesday after several months of negotiations with the Cape Cod-based tribe.
The tribal council also voted Wednesday to approve the agreement, which must also be passed by the state Legislature before July 31.
The compact calls for the state to receive 21.5 percent of gambling revenues from the proposed casino. That's less than the 25 percent tax that would be assessed on commercial casinos in Massachusetts.
The state's new gambling law allows for up to three resort casinos in the state, but gives exclusive rights to a federally recognized Indian tribe in the southeastern region if the July 31 deadline is met.
