Mashpee Wampanoag to break ground on Massachusetts casino on Tuesday

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has announced an official groundbreaking ceremony for its planned new casino in Taunton, Massachusetts.

The federally recognized tribe plans to turn some ceremonial sod on Tuesday morning at an industrial park 30 miles south of Boston, which will serve as the future home of its First Light Resort and Casino.

The casino, which the Cape Cod-based tribe has estimated could cost up to $1b to develop, plans to open its first phase by mid-2017. When fully constructed, the property will boast three hotel towers, retail and dining options, a water park and – oh, yeah – a casino featuring 190 gaming and poker tables and 3k slots.

The casino site is on land that the federal government placed into trust for the tribe earlier this year. Rush Street Gaming subsidiary Massachusetts Gaming and Entertainment, which is trying to convince state gaming regulators to approve a casino in the Brockton area, has challenged the federal government’s decision in the hopes of derailing the tribe’s plans.