Monticello, NY – Governor David Paterson and other government officials are expected in Monticello early next week to sign a contract with the Stockbridge Munsee Indians to operate a gaming casino in the Town of Thompson. The tribe owns over 330 acres of land off Route 17 exit 107 in Bridgeville.
The governor will sign a land claim agreement with leaders of the tribe spelling out details of a pact with New York.
That doesn’t seal the deal, though. It will still need federal approval to allow an off-reservation casino to operate and there has been no policy change since the former Secretary of the Interior under the Bush administration, Dirk Kempthorne, nixed those plans. Public officials, including US Senator Charles Schumer, have been lobbying current Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to change the policy; however, there has been no movement to this point.
Thompson Town Supervisor Anthony Cellini, who has seen potential Native America casino deals come and go, is enthused about this development.
“I think we’re rounding third base and we just have to get it to home plate right now,” he said.
State Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther said a full scale casino would keep local dollars in the region.
“We are surrounded by New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and we want to keep our New York State dollars, and it will be great for entertainment, it will be great for a convention business and it will increase tourism, which is so important to Sullivan County.”
State Senator John Bonacic said the project would be idea for Sullivan County. “This is the best way for job creation, private sector money, we don’t need any stimulus money to increase tourism and job creation if we do get the Stockbridge casino,” he said. Bonacic also said he would ask Schumer to use “all of his influence to push this project.”
Development of a gaming casino in Sullivan County would mean thousands of construction jobs and thousands of positions once it is in operation.
(Source: MidHudsonNews)
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7 Responses
I wonder what shomrim flatbush have to say about this haha
What effect might this have on crime in the area? Statistically, is the crime rate higher near casinos?
Let us all hope and pray this never comes to fruition. It will just be another nisoyon for yidden that will be very difficult to pass.
The place will be crawling with yiddin. I was in Atlantic City recently and there were so many men with payis and yarmulkes. I was amazed. If casinos come to the Katzkills they would be smart to offer kosher food and minyanim. And you can be sure that plenty of families on food stamps will be in even worse shape. Gambling is a sickness. Yiddin are not immune.
Yup, very difficult nisayon, when you lose you feel the need to try to win it back. Those yidden who gamble, are stealing from their families.
Perhaps yidden won’t go there because it is so close to home. There is still some element of busha involved. AC, Mohecan Sun and other area casinos are far enough that the busha factor is practically zero.
If New York wants to have casinos, it should amend the state constitution to eliminate the prohibition of gambling, and license casinos. Recruiting Indians to “rent” a reservation in an area they never lived in before, so they can run a casino (otherwise prohibited by state law) is, well, ridiculous.
Whether running casinos as a way to raise money for the government is debateable. But given the tendancy of New York votes to elect “big spenders”, the state does have to cover its bills – and modest, frugal, efficient government doesn’t seem to be a realistic option. But then, what comes next? Government run brothels? Municipal drug dens? Ask the Cornell Ag school to set up pot plantations?