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US – Mashpee Wampanoag to open First Light in 2017

By - 15 March 2016

Mashpee Wampanoag tribal leaders said they expect to break ground on First Light Resort & Casino in Taunton, in Southeastern Massachusetts, in April with a portion of the casino on track to open for business by the summer of 2017.

The name ‘First Light’ comes from the word Wampanoag or Wopanaak, meaning ‘People of the First Light.’

Once construction is complete, First Light Resort & Casino will include 3,000 slot machines, 150 table games, 40 poker tables, fine dining restaurants; a food court with international buffet; and 24-hour café, three 15-story, 300-room luxury hotels, a 31,000 square-foot multi-purpose function room, a spa and a water park.

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell said: “Since our lands in Taunton and Mashpee were declared a reservation by the U.S. Department of Interior earlier this year, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Gaming Authority has been working hard to finalize the design plans on what will be a first-class resort destination. This project will not only help sustain our Tribe on the land our ancestors have lived on for the past 12,000 years, it will also help revitalize the regional economy and provide up to $2 billion dollars in revenues for the Commonwealth.”

Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye lauded the final design and ensuing development as a major economic jolt for a city on the rise.
“When you consider the 1,000 construction jobs and 2,600 permanent jobs this will create, as well as the millions of dollars in additional revenues it will provide, this is a watershed moment for our city. The economic multiplier effects are enormous,” Mr. Hoye said. “First Light Resort & Casino will help put Taunton back on the map as a magnificent city to visit, and that’s something we can all get behind.”

The construction management team includes Dimeo Construction Company, The Penta Building Group, and Talako Construction, LLC. Recognised leaders in the construction of world-class gaming and entertainment venues, the three firms have formed a joint venture and will oversee the demolition and site-prep work.

Casino architect Paul Steelman unveiled the final design for First Light Resort & Casino, which included details on design enhancements that have been made since the project was first conceptualised in 2012.

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