The casino contract should see its extension renewed

Buffalo, New York (WBEN) – The casino contract between the Seneca Nation and New York State will likely see a renewed extension, as a deal is unlikely to be reached by the end of the month.

“Despite the rumors here in Albany that progress has been made, according to my sources within the Seneca Nation, there has been no progress,” State Sen. George Borrello (R) said in a interview with WBEN.

In fact, Borrello claims that New York Governor Kathy Hochul has backtracked on some previously agreed-upon terms. He believes the automatic renewal of the extension at the end of June is causing Hochul and the state to drag their feet on this agreement.

Borrello says the state won’t get 25 percent of the revenue from video lottery terminals this time around because it has done so much to saturate the gaming market and create competition for the Senecas.

Negotiations have been going on for about two years now, and while Borrello believes the Seneca negotiated in good faith, the state did not.

Borrello adds that the communities that were supposed to hit the jackpot with the pact are screwing up.

“I represent the Seneca Nation and I have many friends and others that I know within the Seneca Nation. Due to this extension of the Compact, municipalities that depend on this funding from the Compact are sequestered. So these small municipalities that I’m not getting the payments because of this impasse,” Borrello said.

Could the question be raised in an extraordinary session? Borrello thinks it will, but only to “pass some dog-whistle issues, to try to distract from their failure in leadership.” However, he thinks this could also be an opportunity to pass a pact if the governor can reach an agreement.

Borrello believes the state has no incentive to move forward until Washington intervenes.

“The federal government will finally have to say: ‘We no longer consider that you are negotiating in good faith.’ Therefore, the federal government, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs could very well step in and do something to try to force the governor’s hand,” Borrello noted.

He anticipates this will happen sooner rather than later.

Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong released the following statement with WBEN:

“The state legislature is preparing to close the legislative session and leave Albany, once again, without a new Compact agreement between the Seneca Nation and the State of New York. We are essentially two years into discussions on the Compact with the State, and now six months after our extension with Governor Hochul The extension is expected to be renewed at the end of June as our negotiations with Governor Hochul and his representatives continue.

“The pace and progress of the process to date, while detailed and deliberate, has been at times laborious, frustrating and disappointing. Regardless, we will continue to focus and work towards a new Fair Deal that adequately addresses our rights and concerns in the context of today’s growing and evolving gaming market. has been our priority since day one.

“The Seneca Nation has made clear during our negotiations over the past two years that a new Fair Compact is essential for the Seneca Nation and for Western New York. Thousands of people, workers and businesses, as well as local communities across Western New York, rely on our gaming businesses. Now that the distractions of another budget season and another legislative session have passed, we hope that the state will fully commit to increasing the pace of negotiations until we have reached a fair agreement on all the terms of the Pact.