Mohegan — With the fate of its in-state gaming ambitions in the hands of the state legislature, the Mohegan Tribe forged ahead on the nongaming front Monday, announcing a new partnership with Pasta Vita, a popular Old Saybrook business specializing in gourmet food to go.

On the same day, a tribal subsidiary, Northeast Wood Products LLC, announced it has begun renovating a third wood-pellet manufacturing plant in Jasper, Tenn., and expects to have it up and running this November.

Both ventures are part of a diversification plan the Mohegans have actively pursued amid declining revenues at Mohegan Sun, their flagship casino. Over the past year, the tribe, through its Mohegan Holding Company LLC, has moved into such nongaming areas as franchise restaurants, digital office technology, sustainable energy and manufacturing. The tribe is also backing a bill that would enable it to jointly operate additional Connecticut casinos with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe.

In Pasta Vita, the Mohegans are partnering with a well-known local brand. Founded nearly 20 years ago as a wholesale pasta factory, Pasta Vita has grown into a highly successful retail operation. Up until now, its owners, Rich Cersosimo and chef Lou Castanho, had resisted offers to expand.

Cersosimo, Pasta Vita’s 70-year-old president, said Mohegan tribal officials have been among the store’s regular customers. He said he and Phil Cahill, the tribe’s chief operating officer, first discussed a possible partnership about a year ago. After several meetings, Cersosimo and Castanho, 47, agreed to a deal.

“They were interested in our concept,” Cersosimo said.

The resulting joint venture, Mohegan/PV LLC, will introduce new Pasta Vita locations, starting with one at Mohegan Sun this summer. Like the original, the casino store will be strictly a takeout operation, featuring freshly prepared entrees, vegetable dishes, salads, sauces, soups, breads and desserts.

“We’ll do all the cooking on site, with Lou, our chef, supervising,” Cersosimo said. “It will be all the same recipes, the same flavors. Everything to go.”

While the store’s hours have yet to be determined, it likely will be open seven days a week and late into the evenings to accommodate casino patrons, a Mohegan spokesman said.

No decisions have been made regarding other additional Pasta Vita locations.

“We’re very excited to have this opportunity to expand our concept — maybe outside Connecticut,” Cersosimo said.

In Monday’s announcement regarding Northeast Wood Products’ expansion, the Mohegan subsidiary said the Tennessee wood-pellet plant would produce 125,000 tons of premium wood pellets a year.

Northeast’s existing plants are in Peebles, Ohio, and Ligonier, Ind.

“I’m extremely pleased with NWPs growth and the worldwide acceptance of our product,” Guy Mozzicato, Northeast’s president, said in a statement. “With Jasper being on the Tennessee River and having a 40-rail car siding, we now have easy access to the Gulf, East Coast ports and points beyond. I’m looking forward to the near future when we have additional announcements of our global development.”

Northeast expects to produce a total of 450,000 tons of pellets annually.

“We are well on our way at meeting our five-year goal of 1.5 million tons of annual capacity,” Mozzicato said. “The market demand for quality product is evident, and we’re working to meet those needs.”

The company’s home-heating pellet products, sold under the trade name ThermaGlo, can be found at such retailers as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Rural King and Tractor Supply.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com

Twitter: @bjhallenbeck