Tesla has successfully opened a new sales center at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, after nearly a decade of efforts to change state law.
This strategic move allows Tesla to circumvent a Connecticut law that prohibits direct sales of automobiles to consumers, by situating the showroom on Native American tribal land, which is sovereign under federal law.
The company’s journey to this opening has been challenging. Since its first attempt to change the law in the 2015 legislative session, Tesla faced significant opposition from local car dealerships and was unable to convince lawmakers to amend the legislation. Further efforts to alter the law in subsequent years also did not succeed.
In 2017, Tesla had filed a lawsuit against the state for closing a showroom it operated in Greenwich, but the lawsuit was quietly withdrawn in January 2020. Additionally, Tesla’s attempts to establish a service center in East Hartford and a showroom in South Windsor in the past two years were thwarted at the local town planning board stage.
The plans to open the facility at Mohegan Sun were first announced in late July. Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting it as a significant step in the casino’s commitment to environmental sustainability and offering innovative experiences to its visitors, reports CT Insider.
The new Tesla showroom at Mohegan Sun operates from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. This marks the second instance of Tesla opening a showroom on tribal land, following two successful openings in New Mexico on sovereign nation land.