After nearly two months of bickering in and out of court, the Wampanoag tribe and town of Aquinnah have a written agreement that allows the tribe to secure the site of the proposed bingo hall where construction activity has been halted.
An emergency filing rapidly brought the town of Aquinnah and the Wampanoag tribe back to federal court via conference call with the Hon. Dennis Saylor 4th on Monday afternoon.
In the latest volley between the town and tribe over the future bingo hall in Aquinnah, tribal leaders agreed this week to halt work on the site until legal issues can be resolved.
The Wampanoag tribe registered its strong opposition Thursday to a ruling by a federal judge that it must obtain building permits from the town to construct a bingo hall in Aquinnah.
In a stunning turn, a federal district judge in Boston issued a ruling that holds the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) must obtain building permits before constructing a bingo hall on tribal lands.
In a motion filed in U.S. District Court on April 4, attorneys for the town asked the court to clarify the scope of the court rulings that gave the tribe the right to build a gambling facility.
The Aquinnah selectmen have retained a Boston attorney to represent the town in potential litigation against the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) over the planned bingo hall.
Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission met with Wampanoag tribal leaders at a private summit in Aquinnah this week to discuss fallout from the recent start of construction on a long-planned bingo hall.
