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The combination of a growing independent county economy and some unexpected moves to expand the Indian gaming scenario to five projects in Sullivan County has prompted considerable uneasiness among county residents.
If polls are to be believed, a majority of residents initially favored the development of one to three casino projects in the county at the beginning of 2004.
After all, that was the deal the governor agreed to in 2001, when he approved three for the region. Most people figured two would come to Sullivan and one to Ulster County.
Last January, Indian casinos at Kutshers and Bridgeville seemed to be a matter of negotiating the details. The St. Regis Mohawks were completing their environmental studies at Kutshers and the Stockbridge-Munsees were well underway, having purchased property in Bridgeville. Both had $15 million “host benefit” agreements signed with the county.
The county was worried about the Cayuga project at Monticello Raceway, since they refused to bargain for more than a $5 million county deal. In May the county and the Town of Thompson released a statement with apparent foresight of future developments. “Recent media reports that the state is preparing to settle the Cayuga Indian land claim by allowing the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York to operate a casino at Monticello Raceway have caused Sullivan County officials to join with Town of Thompson officials in calling for no such agreement to be made without an adequate mitigation compact in place.”
That agreement didn’t come until November, but other developments intervened. Polling done for the county’s 2020 comprehensive plan indicated that casino development was the least favored, less than 40 percent, of any of the new economic projects suggested by the survey.
That was soon followed by a daily newspaper poll which similarly showed that less than half of those responding to the poll favored Indian casino development.
Apparently looking for some ammunition to counter these polls, the Stockbridge-Munsees polled themselves and got results similar to those of the newspaper.
Some county legislators were beginning to wonder how they could get out of contract obligations to support the Mohawk and Stockbridge-Munsee projects in exchange for the $15 million payments.
Then came November and the pot was stirred again. Governor Pataki announced land claim settlements with the Cayugas and Seneca-Cayugas of Oklahoma. The agreements included Pataki’s approvals of casinos for both tribes.
To top it off, the county legislature was advised that Congress was expected to shortcut the lengthy approval process with a direct approval and county officials were called into emergency early-morning session to draft and approve a resolution, conditionally supporting the legislation. After a morning of debate, they passed the resolution, but some said they left with a bad taste.
The state’s November deal was not addressed by Congress, but is expected to re-emerge in February.
The final stunner came several weeks later in December when Pataki cut two more land settlement-casino deals with the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin and the Stockbridge-Munsees.
Then there were five and some people who had watched and waited, spoke out.
One of dozens who addressed the issue at the county legislature’s December meeting, Sullivan resident Helen Budrock said, “One casino may be good, three scares me to death and five is absolutely unacceptable.”
While he continues to support five casinos, Pataki has issued a statement saying that no state legislation for the last deals yet exists and that he will continue to work with county officials. One of the governor’s principal aides will be visiting the county in early January to explain.
Source: The Narrowsburg River Reporter
Friday, 31 December 2004
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