Leaders of the Seneca Nation are urging the state to treat their people fairly and justly while highlighting the Nation’s significant economic influence across the region.
A recently released report shows that the Seneca Nation’s casinos in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Salamanca, along with more than 30 other businesses they operate, have generated nearly two billion dollars in economic impact and provided more than 8,000 jobs to the Western New York region.
“The Seneca Nation serves as a major economic force in Western New York, generating billions in economic activity while providing essential services to our members,” said Odie Brant Porter, a Seneca Nation councilor.
Despite this positive impact, Seneca leaders expressed frustration on Wednesday over stalled negotiations with New York State on a new gaming compact, renewing their call for action on the long-delayed agreement.
Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca said, “It doesn’t seem like they want to negotiate fairly anyway, and the way I look at it, they are certainly showing bad faith in regard to any types of discussions that we have been having.”
The original gaming compact, signed in 2002, required the Seneca Nation to pay 25% of slot machine revenues to the state in exchange for exclusive gaming rights in Western New York. That agreement has since expired, and the two sides have operated under temporary extensions while negotiating a new deal…