5.26.09
Shinnecock Indians Contemplate a Casino as They Close In on Federal Recognition
By DANNY HAKIM
The Shinnecock Indian Nation cleared a major hurdle toward its goal of federal recognition on Tuesday when it entered into a settlement with the Interior Department that requires a preliminary ruling on its tribal status by the end of the year.
Shinnecock leaders would like to run the first casino in downstate New York, and wrote to Gov. David A. Paterson on Tuesday, citing the settlement as an impetus to begin talks with the state on a range of issues.
After a court fight of more than 30 years, the Shinnecocks believe that federal recognition is in their grasp; they have long been recognized by the state, and a federal judge described them as a sovereign tribe in a 2005 ruling. The settlement gives the federal government until Dec. 15 to make a preliminary ruling on the Shinnecocks’ status.
The implications for New York could be considerable.
The Shinnecocks are based in Southampton, N.Y. Once federally recognized, they would immediately have the right to build a “Class II” casino on their 800-acre reservation, a designation that would mean they could have thousands of video slot machines, but no table games. Like other tribes, the Shinnecocks see a casino as a way to lift their members out of poverty, a condition highlighted by the tribe’s proximity to the extravagance of the Hamptons. (Complete Story)
The Shinnecock Indian Nation cleared a major hurdle toward its goal of federal recognition on Tuesday when it entered into a settlement with the Interior Department that requires a preliminary ruling on its tribal status by the end of the year.
Shinnecock leaders would like to run the first casino in downstate New York, and wrote to Gov. David A. Paterson on Tuesday, citing the settlement as an impetus to begin talks with the state on a range of issues.
After a court fight of more than 30 years, the Shinnecocks believe that federal recognition is in their grasp; they have long been recognized by the state, and a federal judge described them as a sovereign tribe in a 2005 ruling. The settlement gives the federal government until Dec. 15 to make a preliminary ruling on the Shinnecocks’ status.
The implications for New York could be considerable.
The Shinnecocks are based in Southampton, N.Y. Once federally recognized, they would immediately have the right to build a “Class II” casino on their 800-acre reservation, a designation that would mean they could have thousands of video slot machines, but no table games. Like other tribes, the Shinnecocks see a casino as a way to lift their members out of poverty, a condition highlighted by the tribe’s proximity to the extravagance of the Hamptons. (Complete Story)
TVT Note: The Shinnecock plans are being bankrolled by Gateway Casino Resorts, a casino syndication affiliate formed by Detroit's Marian Ilitch and Michael J. Malik, Sr. in 2003. They have spent $1.6 million on federal lobbying expenses alone.
Ilitch and her husband Mike Ilitch own the Detroit Red Wings and co-founded Little Caesars pizza stores. She owns Detroit's MotorCity Casino and he owns the Detroit Tigers. Their interests are closley held by the family owned Ilitch Holdings, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment