The Catskills citizens, as well as business owners have been waiting for the legalization of casinos in their areas for sometime now. Three casinos were approved by lawmakers four years ago, since then everyone has been waiting for them to come through. New York Governor George E. Pataki was supposed make 5 casinos in that time, after the approved deal came through.
They tried last winter to get the project up and running, but that didn’t come to be. So they tried to negotiate one casino to start. This was because of efforts trying to be made on the part of Democrat legislators.
Of course the reason the casinos are not up and running in is because there was a sort of disagreement from the legislators the number of casinos that would open. Tribal land disputes have also helped stall the project. This indecision has hurt casino business owners, but has kept opponents happy nothing has happened. Others have stopped caring, because nothing has happened even though legislation passed the paperwork.
The Pataki administration has now withdrawn the legislation; instead they hoped to settle tribal land claims. In a federal ruling, from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, determined the tribe had no case. This is because they have filed their suit too late to be valid. So Pataki’s withdrawal came in vain.
The Democratic-controlled Assembly supported at least one casino for the St. Regis Mohawks, while the Republican-controlled Senate has tried for three. Neither has been successful. Once again, Catskills New York finds themselves fighting all over again for at least a little something. |
