The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe may be in for a long wait to talk to Deval Patrick about their proposal to build a $1billion casino resort in Massachusetts. Patrick’s administration has taken a skeptical stance on negotiating with the tribe before they have won permission from the federal government for an official reservation on which to built the complex.

While the tribe has recently won the fight to be recognized as an official Indian tribe they are in the midst of the process of requesting lands be placed in trust in the town of Middleboro for an official reservation. In a best case scenario they may have a decision by next spring, worst case could be years. Without a reservation its hard for Patrick to negotiate except in the abstract form.

While they are waiting the tribe may sit down to talks with Patrick but it would seem thats all they would be doing is talking. Without an exact location to be studied for impact on the surrounding area its hard to do much more.