But he said it will be interesting to see if direct sales at Mohegan Sun changes any legislator’s minds about the Tesla bill going forward. He said he wouldn’t consider it a workaround to the state law – the Mohegan Tribe is sovereign and Connecticut can’t tell it how Tesla should sell cars on their own land. Lemar, who has been a major advocate for the “Tesla bill,” said he heard from a Tesla representative in Connecticut a few months ago that they were negotiating to potentially open a location at Mohegan Sun, but the announcement came faster than he expected. “I think in looking at other states where Tesla is able to sell directly, there has been the ability for both the dealership model and direct sales to co-exist with each other.” “It’s certainly innovative on the part of both Tesla and the Tribe to come up with a solution that will bring their cars to market in Connecticut and allow them to distribute here,” Cohen said. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, were generally supportive of the move in comments to CT Examiner. Roland Lemar, D-New Haven, and State Sen. The co-chairs of the legislature’s Transportation Committee State Rep. The annual “Tesla bill” regularly faces opposition from Connecticut’s car dealers who argue that the carve-out would give electric manufacturers an unfair advantage in the market. Electric-only vehicle manufacturers including Rivian and Tesla have used a direct sales model instead of the dealership model of other auto companies. Tesla has been lobbying unsuccessfully for years to get Connecticut lawmakers to legalize direct-to-consumer sales of its electric vehicles. In its release, Mohegan Sun touted the storefront as a “first-of-its-kind venture in Connecticut with the premiere Sales & Delivery center operating on Sovereign Tribal land.” “This endeavor with Tesla marks an electrifying milestone in Mohegan Sun’s commitment to fostering impactful relationships, promoting environmental sustainability and offering cutting-edge experiences for our millions of annual guests, each of which are core goals of Mohegan Sun and the Mohegan Tribe,” Mohegan Sun President and General Manager Jeff Hamilton said in a news release.

And the cars will be delivered at Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower valet. The Tesla Sales and Delivery Center will open this fall at The Shops at Mohegan Sun, in a first-floor storefront formerly occupied by a Victoria’s Secret store, the casino announced on Wednesday.Ĭustomers will be able to see and buy Tesla vehicles at the casino storefront. UNCASVILLE – Tesla is opening a sales and showroom at Mohegan Sun, setting up shop on the Mohegan Tribe’s sovereign land to sidestep a Connecticut law preventing direct-to-consumer auto sales.

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