December​ ​6,​ ​2017 Senate​ ​President​ ​Pro​ ​Tempore​ ​Martin​ ​Looney Senate​ ​Majority​ ​Leader​ ​Bob​ ​Duff Senate​ ​Minority​ ​Leader​ ​Len​ ​Fasano Speaker​ ​of​ ​the​ ​House​ ​Joe​ ​Aresimowicz House​ ​Majority​ ​Leader​ ​Matt​ ​Ritter House​ ​Minority​ ​Leader​ ​Themis​ ​Klarides 300​ ​Capitol​ ​Avenue Hartford,​ ​CT​ ​06106 Dear​ ​State​ ​Leaders, We​ ​write​ ​to​ ​you​ ​today​ ​regarding​ ​the​ ​discussion​ ​over​ ​a​ ​possible​ ​casino​ ​in​ ​Bridgeport. For​ ​more​ ​than​ ​two​ ​decades,​ ​our​ ​two​ ​tribes​ ​and​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Connecticut​ ​have​ ​forged​ ​a mutually​ ​beneficial​ ​partnership​ ​created​ ​from​ ​the​ ​first​ ​MOU​ ​in​ ​1993​ ​to​ ​the​ ​second​ ​in 1994.​ ​Those​ ​agreements​ ​steered​ ​more​ ​than​ ​$7​ ​billion​ ​in​ ​direct​ ​payment​ ​to​ ​the​ ​state’s General​ ​Fund​ ​and​ ​created​ ​billions​ ​more​ ​in​ ​other​ ​economic​ ​activity.​ ​That​ ​direct​ ​funding has​ ​gone​ ​to​ ​a​ ​host​ ​of​ ​critical​ ​services​ ​in ​every​ ​town​ ​and​ ​city​ ​across​ ​our​ ​state​. Beyond​ ​the​ ​scope​ ​of​ ​our​ ​financial​ ​partnership,​ ​we​ ​also​ ​have​ ​a​ ​shared​ ​history​ ​built​ ​over centuries.​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​bond​ ​that​ ​has​ ​inspired​ ​us​ ​to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​than​ ​just​ ​financial​ ​contributors​ ​to the​ ​state’s​ ​fiscal​ ​health.​ ​Over​ ​the​ ​years,​ ​we’ve​ ​led​ ​support​ ​events​ ​for​ ​our​ ​state’s veterans​ ​and​ ​contributed​ ​to​ ​organizations​ ​like​ ​the​ ​United​ ​Way,​ ​which​ ​helps​ ​families​ ​in need​ ​across​ ​our​ ​state.​ ​Simply​ ​put,​ ​we​ ​are​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​very​ ​fabric​ ​of​ ​many​ ​communities that​ ​make​ ​Connecticut​ ​such​ ​a​ ​great​ ​place​ ​to​ ​live,​ ​work​ ​and​ ​raise​ ​a​ ​family. When​ ​confronted​ ​with​ ​a​ ​threat​ ​to​ ​this​ ​partnership,​ ​you​ ​stood​ ​strong​ ​with​ ​us​ ​and​ ​passed Senate​ ​Bill​ ​957​ ​into​ ​law​ ​during​ ​the​ ​regular​ ​legislative​ ​session,​ ​authorizing​ ​the construction​ ​of​ ​a​ ​new​ ​facility​ ​in​ ​East​ ​Windsor.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​moving​ ​forward​ ​with​ ​that​ ​project, and​ ​want​ ​to​ ​thank​ ​you​ ​for​ ​your​ ​continued​ ​support. Back​ ​in​ ​2015,​ ​our​ ​initial​ ​proposal​ ​would​ ​have​ ​authorized​ ​three​ ​new​ ​facilities,​ ​one​ ​in north-central​ ​CT,​ ​one​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Danbury​ ​area​ ​and​ ​one​ ​in​ ​Fairfield​ ​County.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​the Legislature’s​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​move​ ​forward​ ​with​ ​only​ ​one​ ​site​ ​in​ ​the​ ​north-central​ ​Hartford region.​ ​If​ ​circumstances​ ​have​ ​changed​ ​and​ ​there​ ​is​ ​now​ ​real​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​putting​ ​a​ ​casino in​ ​Bridgeport,​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​that​ ​discussion. Over​ ​the​ ​past​ ​30​ ​years,​ ​many​ ​promises​ ​have​ ​been​ ​made​ ​to​ ​residents​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Park​ ​City. Few​ ​if​ ​any​ ​have​ ​come​ ​to​ ​fruition.​ ​We​ ​like​ ​so​ ​many​ ​others​ ​see​ ​the​ ​tremendous​ ​potential of​ ​Bridgeport​ ​and​ ​would​ ​love​ ​to​ ​be​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​catalysts​ ​that​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​a​ ​real​ ​revival. We​ ​thank​ ​you​ ​again​ ​for​ ​your​ ​continued​ ​support​ ​and​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​discussing​ ​this​ ​issue in​ ​the​ ​weeks​ ​and​ ​months​ ​ahead. Sincerely, Rodney​ ​Butler,​ ​Chairman, The​ ​Mashantucket​ ​Pequot​ ​Tribal​ ​Nation CC:​ ​Governor​ ​Dannel​ ​P.​ ​Malloy Lieutenant​ ​Governor​ ​Nancy​ ​Wyman Attorney​ ​General​ ​George​ ​Jepsen Senator​ ​Ed​ ​Gomes Senator​ ​Marilyn​ ​Moore Representative​ ​Andre​ ​Baker,​ ​Jr. Representative​ ​Charlie​ ​Stallworth Representative​ ​Jack​ ​Hennessy Representative​ ​Christopher​ ​Rosario Representative​ ​Steven​ ​Stafstrom Representative​ ​Ezequiel​ ​Santiago Mayor​ ​Joseph​ ​Ganim Kevin​ ​Brown,​ ​Chairman, The​ ​Mohegan​ ​Tribe