The Impact of Tribal Gaming in Rural Communities: A Case Study of the Mashantucket Pequot in New London County and the Prospect of Tribal Gaming in Robeson County
In the quietness of a small Connecticut town, a surprise to those unaware, one can find the world’s largest casino. Ledyard, Connecticut, with a population of approximately 15,600, lists the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation as the top employer in the community. There are endless questions that have surfaced as to the effects of a tribal casino on a rural community. Are these small towns equipped to handle the masses of patrons that visit these casinos twenty-four hours per day, seven days each week, three hundred and sixty-five days each year? What are the social issues related to making gambling so easily accessible in a rural community? In the case of Robeson County, specifically Lumberton and the surrounding area, what temptation would gambling foster in such an economically impoverished community? The National Indian Gaming Association has just released a study on the economic impact of Indian gaming that even in the title states “Tribal Government Gaming: The Native American Success Story.” Is tribal gaming a true success story or do we gauge success by disregarding the failures? This paper will explore tribal gaming and the impact on rural communities such as Ledyard and the Robeson County area