We did it with open arms and they learned from our mistakes.” For our sister tribe, we said it’s the right thing to do. “The Mohegans had to get approval from us and the state. “Clearly nobody likes competition,” Butler said. Not even the 1996 opening of the state’s second tribal gaming casino, Mohegan Sun Casino, appeared to put a damper on Foxwoods’ growth. Over the years Foxwoods has deposited $3.2 billion to the state’s general fund.įoxwoods continued to expand its footprint in the 1990’s, adding more room for gaming tables and slot machines, two golf courses, and in 1997, the Grand Pequot Tower. In 1994, gamblers dropped $4.5 billion into the casino’s 2,650 slot machines. The casino could install them as long as the state got its take: 25 percent of the winnings.Īnd there was plenty of that from the start. After years of wrangling, the state and the tribe reached an agreement over slot machines. In 1993, a $240 million expansion added a hotel, restaurants and more gaming space. To accommodate the 24/7, game-hungry crowds, Foxwoods grew. They were five deep at each table,” said Holder, a tribal member. “We planned to close for a few hours each day, but the people just kept staying and gambling.
