Mashpee Wampanoag to begin construction of a $500 million resort casino in Taunton, Massachusetts in 2016.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs on Friday approved the tribe’s application to hold over 300 acres in Taunton and Mashpee in trust.

Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell called it “truly a glorious, monumental day” for the Mashpee Wampanoag, which became a federally recognized tribe in 2007.

“Today, history has come full-circle,” said Cromwell in a statement. “While some outside the Tribe will focus only on our quest to build a destination resort casino in Taunton … for us this goes far beyond economic development. This is about controlling our own destiny and preserving our ancient culture.”