SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, Connecticut 06360 (860) 889-2324/Fax: (860) 889-1222/Email: office@seccog.org 1 April 2020 Honorable Ned Lamont, Governor State of Connecticut Office of the Governor, State Capitol 210 Capitol Avenue Hartford, CT 06106 Dear Governor Lamont: It is clear that we are in uncharted territory with this pandemic that our state and our nation are facing. Many millions of people and businesses are suffering and we do not know when this health crisis will end. In our region, two of our largest employers, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos, have shut down to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. They have also donated their food and facilities to help the greater good. The Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos have been strong community partners over the years. This public health emergency has altered their livelihood in an unprecedented way. We need to do everything we can to assure that they are able to survive now and thrive again in the future. This is why we, the Chief Elected Officials and Chief Executive Officers of the 22 municipal members of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG), are respectfully requesting that you issue an Executive Order to allow the two casinos to begin utilization of online gaming during this time that they have voluntarily closed their doors. As you are aware, online gaming was part of the bi-partisan proposed bill “An Act Concerning Jobs In and Revenue from the Gaming Industry”, which the SCCOG has previously supported. This revenue source will help them to immediately offset the losses they are facing. It will help get people back to work more quickly when the pandemic ends. It will help assure that the many municipalities that depend on revenue from the Pequot Fund are able to continue to receive this much needed funding. The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments strongly urges that you grant the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Mohegan Tribe the ability to utilize online gaming immediately. Thank you for consideration of this request, and thank you for your strong leadership during this public health emergency. Sincerely, Mark Nickerson Mark Nickerson, SCCOG Chairman East Lyme First Selectman Cc: Chairman Rodney Butler, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman James Gessner, Jr., Mohegan Tribe Member Municipalities: Bozrah * Colchester * East Lyme * Franklin * Griswold * Borough of Jewett City * City of Groton * Town of Groton * Lebanon * Ledyard * Lisbon * Montville * New London * North Stonington * Norwich * Preston * Salem * Sprague * Stonington * Stonington Borough * Waterford * Windham If language assistance is needed, please contact SCCOG at 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org Si necesita asistencia lingüística, por favor comuníquese a 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org. 如果您需要语言帮助，请致电 860-889-2324 或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org. SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT COUNICL OF GOVERNMENTS Carl Zorn, First Selectman Bozrah Mary Bylone, First Selectman Colchester Mark Nickerson, First Selectman East Lyme Charles Grant, First Selectman Franklin Todd Babbitt, First Selectman Griswold Timothy Sharkey, Warden Borough of Jewett City Keith Hedrick, Mayor City of Groton Patrice Granatosky, Mayor; John Burt, Town Manager, Town of Groton Kevin Cwikla, First Selectman, Lebanon Fred Allyn III, Mayor Ledyard Thomas Sparkman, First Selectman Lisbon Ron McDaniel, Mayor Montville Michael Passero, Mayor New London Michael Urgo, First Selectman North Stonington Peter Nystrom, Mayor; John Salomone, City Manager, Norwich Sandra Allyn Gauthier, First Selectman Preston Kevin Lyden, First Selectman Salem Cheryl Allen Blanchard, First Selectman Sprague Jeffrey Callahan, Warden Borough of Stonington Danielle Chesebrough, First Selectman Town of Stonington Rob Brule, First Selectman Waterford Victor Funderburk, Mayor; Jim Rivers, Town Manager, Windham Member Municipalities: Bozrah * Colchester * East Lyme * Franklin * Griswold * Borough of Jewett City * City of Groton * Town of Groton * Lebanon * Ledyard * Lisbon * Montville * New London * North Stonington * Norwich * Preston * Salem * Sprague * Stonington * Stonington Borough * Waterford * Windham If language assistance is needed, please contact SCCOG at 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org Si necesita asistencia lingüística, por favor comuníquese a 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org. 如果您需要语言帮助，请致电 860-889-2324 或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR STATE OF CONNECTICUT April 3rd, 2020 Mark Nickerson, SCCOG Chairman 5 Connecticut Avenue Norwich, CT 06360 April 3, 2020 Dear First Selectman Nickerson: Thank you for your April 1, 2020 letter on behalf of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments I share your appreciation and concerns for the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot Tribes (the ?Tribes?) and their respective businesses. The Tribes have been and continue to be outstanding partners during these extraordinary times. That is why I have taken signi?cant and immediate steps to help alleviate the ?nancial distress this pandemic is causing their members and businesses. We already have agreed to defer the Tribes? slot contributions and regulatory assessments. We have also agreed to reduce the amount of the regulatory assessment for the time period of closure for which such services were not provided. These efforts are aimed at strengthening the tribes? respective cash ?ow during this dif?cult time. In addition, my staff has been in close and frequent communications with both Tribes to coordinate a uni?ed effort with our federal counterparts aimed at ensuring bothtribes are able to maximize use of the federal stimulus ?mding in a way that allows them to cover revenue losses based on the increased costs to the tribes to cover casino costs due to In your letter, SCCG asks me to use my extraordinary emergency powers to authorize the Tribes to engage in online gaming throughout the State of Connecticut. You also reference a legislative proposal that has been raised by the Public Safety Committee this legislative session, which your organization supports and which, if passed, would accomplish that goal. While I very much share the concerns, you express about the ?nancial distress the pandemic is causing our Tribal partners, I must decline your speci?c request. Authorizing online gaming and enabling consumers to more easily access gambling is a signi?cant policy decision that has not yet been embraced or acted upon by our legislature. Doing so at a time when so many Connecticut residents are in ?nancial distress would be a particularly signi?cant policy decision to make without legislative approval. 210 CAPITOL AVENUE, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106 Moreover, the State has not, and is not currently in a position to, establish and enforce the sort of regulatory and ?nancial framework that is necessary to implement online gambling. Additionally, in order to fully preserve our existing legal and ?nancial arrangements with the Tribes, the State and Tribes would need to negotiate and enter into compact amendments before authorizing online gaming. That is precisely what the legislative proposals you have endorsed also would require. Once compact amendments were entered, they would need to be submitted for approval to both the legislature and the United States Secretary of the Interior. That process is simply not feasible or realistic during this crisis and while the legislature remains in recess. Nevertheless, I very much appreciate your request and the concerns your members have expressed. I assure you that I that I will continue to do all that I can to assist the Tribes during these dif?cult times. Sincerely, Ned Lamont Governor Cc: Chairman Rodney Butler, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman James Gessner, Mohegan Tribe