MGM Resorts responds to tribes’ interest in Bridgeport casino

One day after the respective tribal owners of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun sent a letter to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy expressing interest in exploring the possibility of a building a casino in Bridgeport, MGM Resorts International, which has already proposed a casino for the city, responded by challenging the state to opening the bidding process to nontribal entities.

Uri Clinton, senior vice president and legal counsel for MGM Resorts International, began a letter to the governor and legislative leaders by noting how his company has “consistently urged the state of Connecticut to establish a competitive process” for gaming rights, adding that his company and the tribes “participated in competitive processes in other states.”

At first, Clinton welcomed the tribes”™ desire to be “part of the discussion” of a Bridgeport gaming site. “There appears to be, for the first time, agreement that such a discussion is in the state”™s best interest,” he wrote.

However, Clinton shut down any notion of cooperating with the tribes by highlighting his company”™s proposal to build a casino resort in Bridgeport, citing “the partnerships we have established, and the increasing support we have earned.” He noted that “Connecticut now has a second chance to get it right,” and stated his company “would welcome the opportunity to compete for a Connecticut commercial gaming license, along with the tribes and any other interested parties.”

Throughout his letter, Clinton did not mention the Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes by name, which mirrored the tribal chairmen”™s omission of the MGM Resorts International name in their letter. Neither letter provoked any public response from the governor or the legislative leaders.