The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has jumped into the casino game again, with the tribe’s chairman requesting a referendum vote from three southeastern Massachusetts towns to test public support for a casino.

Fall River mayor William Flanagan confirmed on Monday that he had received a request from tribal chairman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais for a vote within the next 90 days. Separate requests were also sent to the towns of Lakeville and Freetown.

Mrs. Andrews-Maltais indicated plans for the gaming project are well underway, Mr. Flanagan said on Tuesday.

“Last night I spoke with the chairwoman and she indicated to me she has several pieces of land under option in the city of Fall River and has the finances in place to move forward on the construction of a resort-style casino,” he said. “She has indicated that the Aquinnah [Wampanoags] is a viable, if not more viable than, the Mashpee Wampanoags.”

Mrs. Andrews-Maltais could not be reached for comment by the Gazette despite repeated attempts throughout the week. A spokesman for a public relations firm hired by the tribe, Slowey/McManus Communications, contacted the newspaper to say the tribe would be announcing formal plans shortly.

“There’s tremendous support in the region for a casino,” said Slowey/McManus principal partner Jim McManus. “I think it’s going to be a great economic development and vehicle for southeastern Massachusetts in terms of jobs and tax revenue. It’s a very positive story.”

But Mayor Flanagan said he would not call a referendum vote without knowing what pieces of land are under consideration, who the investors are and specifics of the proposal, including the size of the resort and the number of jobs it would create.

The news came as a surprise to many Vineyard tribal members this week, who said they knew nothing about the request from Mrs. Andrew-Maltais until they read it in regional newspapers. A tribal council meeting was held last Saturday but there was no mention of the matter, council members said. Two days after the council meeting, the request for the referendum vote went to the three towns and Gov. Deval Patrick.

The Aquinnah Wampanoags are competing for the right to a casino license with the Mashpee Wampanoags, who have plans to build a casino in Taunton. This week that tribe announced they are in negotiations with the city to buy 77 acres in an industrial park for development.

Under the new gaming regulations approved by the legislature last November, the state may license up to three resort casinos in different locations in the commonwealth. One of the three licenses is reserved for an American Indian tribe. The Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoags are the only federally recognized tribes in the state.

The tribes have until July 31 to enter into an agreement with Governor Patrick for a casino, after which the state will go through a public bidding process for the other two licenses.

The move by the leader of the Vineyard tribe comes during a time of intense discussion and reported tension inside the tribe about finances, leadership and direction. With membership totaling about 300 on the Island and about 1,100 across the country, the Aquinnah tribe was the first federally recognized tribe in the state. The tribe won federal recognition in 1987. In a landmark ruling in 2004, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the tribe had waived part of its sovereignty when it signed a settlement agreement with the town in 1986, and as a result was bound to follow state and local zoning rules for land use projects.

The Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation was formed inside the tribe some 15 years ago and is led by Mrs. Andrews-Maltais and her sister Naomi Carney. Acting in her capacity as tribe chairman and a member of the gaming corporation, Mrs. Andrews-Maltais signed the letter sent to the three towns.

The tribe’s plans for a casino date to 1994, when it partnered with a subsidiary of Carnival Hotels and Casinos at a time when the state legislature was considering a law to allowing gambling that later failed. Financial statements and an audit from 2011 obtained by the Gazette show that the tribe remains saddled by millions of dollars in outstanding debt related to that venture. The tribe borrowed $8 million from Carnival in 1994 under an agreement that called for the money to be repaid from casino revenues. The agreement was dissolved in 1999, but the money was never repaid. Another $5.6 million was borrowed in a separate consulting agreement related to the Carnival venture, money that was also never repaid.

Annual operating revenues at the tribe in 2011 were about $5.2 million. Nearly 90 per cent of the revenues come from state and federal government grants. The other 10 per cent comes from investment income and other earnings.

Meanwhile, as private developers across the state await the July 31 deadline to begin the public bidding process for the other two licenses, casino plans are sprouting up in Middelboro, Foxboro and Fall River. Mayor Flanagan of Fall River said he has had several meetings with private developers who are looking to build gambling facilities.

Recent polls show Fall River voters overwhelmingly support a casino within city limits, Mr. Flanagan said, counting himself as one of the supporters. But he also said he would not “blindly support gaming proposals” without a formal plan. “Citizens understand the effect this would have on job creation, and the economy is the number one issue in our community,” he said. “The city of Fall River has just as good a chance if not better than other communities.”