Patrick says new casino deal with Mass. tribe near

BOSTON (AP) -- Gov. Deval Patrick says he expects to sign a revised casino compact with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe within the next few days.

Patrick said during an appearance on a local radio station that his administration has reached an agreement-in-principle with the tribe and expects to brief legislative leaders on the deal shortly.

The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs rejected a compact signed the state and the Mashpee last year, saying it required the tribe to return too high a share of its gambling revenues to the state.

Patrick did not disclose details of the new compact but said it had already been "vetted" by federal officials.