Gov. Deval Patrick: State And Tribe Making Progress On Compact

The state and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe may be moving closer to finalizing a revised casino compact.

    Gov. Deval Patrick said Monday that officials from his administration and representatives of the tribe discussed a framework for a new compact with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington last week. Patrick said the meeting was ``pretty positive,'' but that some issues still needed to be resolved.

    A compact the governor signed with the Mashpee last year was approved by the Legislature but later rejected by federal officials, who said the state was seeking too high a share of the tribe's gambling revenues.

    Patrick does not plan to submit a new compact to lawmakers until he's confident the Bureau of Indian Affairs will approve it.

    The tribe has proposed a resort casino in Taunton. (Associated Press)