The debate on whether to allow a proposed competitive processin constructing Connecticut’s first casino on non-tribal land will finally push through, and MGM has to thank none other than Democratic Rep. Jeffrey Berger for the last-minute Senate maneuvering.

On Thursday, the Connecticut legislature approved in an 18-6 vote to hold public hearings on the proposal seeking to allow competitive bidding process for a casino in the state despite objections from the co-chairman of the General Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, Hartford Courant reported.

No one expected at least one of the three legislative proposals that touches on casino expansion to move forward in the committee, especially after Sen. Tim Larson, D-East Hartford, and Sen. Tony Guglielmo, R-Stafford, rejected calls to place the casino expansion bills on the agenda.

In a last ditch effort to save the casino expansion bill, Berger mustered significant support from the committee members and pushed for a hearing on the competitive bidding bill.