Description
In 1976, the Mashantucket Pequots reservation was 214 acres of abandoned land near Ledyard, Connecticut. During that year, a family of outsiders claiming to be members of the tribe took up residence. Led by the ambitious Tribal Chief Richard "Skip" Hayward, the Pequots had by the late 1990's more than 600 tribal members living on over 1,000 acres, and they were the owners and operators of Foxwoods, the largest casino in the world with more than $1.3 billion in revenue. Caught in this explosion are the neighboring townspeople who struggle to maintain holding onto their land. Tracing this stunning trajectory, author Jeff Benedict provides a mesmerizing and even-handed account, leading to startling revelations about the Pequots tribe as well as state and federal government officials. Backed by hundreds of interviews with the players involved, as well as court documents, Congressional transcripts, maps, probate and property records, and personal correspodences, Without Reservation is a cautionary tale, a bold testament to the remarkable powers of insistence, persistence, and entrepreneurship in its crudest form.
