Next steps

What’s ahead for the casino plan in Middleborough.

LOCAL

By voting in favor of a casino, the town of Middleborough pledges to write letters in support of a casino to the governor and key state legislators, the US Department of the Interior, and members of Congress.

STATE

The casino developers must negotiate a “compact” with the governor, setting the terms for a waiver of the state prohibition on slot machines in exchange for the state’s share of slot revenues. The Legislature must approve the compact, according to most Indian casino legal specialists.

FEDERAL

The developers say they will petition the US Interior Department within weeks for approval to convert the Middleborough land into tribal reservation land, upon which federal law allows a casino. By some estimates, that decision could take at least 18 months.

Compiled by Sean P. Murphy