Tribe Payment To Taunton Due By End Of Month

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the U.S.Department of the Interior are considering their next options after a Federal court judge ruled that the department erred when it granted land in trust status to the tribe for the proposed First Light Resort and Casino in Taunton.

While the tribe and the government have a roughly 60 day window City Councillor David Pottier told WBSM's Barry Richard that a payment the tribe agreed to make to the city for an intersection project will be due this month.

"Approximately $750,000 for these land takings has to be paid to the city by the tribe to purchase these properties by the end of August," said Pottier "and if not the city would have to step because we don't to lose the Federal funding for the project."

The money would pay for land takings needed to complete a Hart's Four Corners Intersection improvement project.