Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong blasted New York state officials after the legislature adjourned without authorizing a new gaming compact to replace the deal that officially expired last December. The state and the tribe agreed at the time to extend the compact deadline to June 30.
“The pace and progress of the process so far, while detailed and deliberate, have been painstaking, frustrating, and disappointing at times,” Armstrong said in a statement. “Regardless, we will continue to focus on and work toward a fair new compact that adequately addresses our rights and concerns in the context of today’s growing and changing gaming market. That has been our priority from day one.”
While negotiations between tribal officials and Gov. Kathy Hochul have been ongoing since the original compact expiration date, state Sen. George Borrello, who represents the districts including the tribe’s three Western New York casinos, complained in an interview with TV station WBEN that no progress has been made, and that in fact, Hochul has backpedaled on some provisions to which she had previously agreed.
“Despite the rumors here in Albany that there’s been progress, according to my sources at the Seneca Nation, there has been no progress,” Borrello said.
“I represent the Seneca Nation and I have many friends and others that I know on the Seneca Nation. Because of this extension of the compact, the municipalities that rely on that funding from the compact (find it is) sitting in escrow. So those small municipalities that I represent are not getting the payouts as a result of this deadlock.”
It is likely the two sides will extend the deadline again. However, Borrello says that ultimately, the state has no incentive to move forward, raising the possibility that the federal government may have to step in to impose a new compact.
“The federal government will have to finally say, ‘We no longer consider you negotiating in good faith,’” Borrello said. “Therefore, the federal government, Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs may very well step in and do something to try and force the hand of the governor.”
“Thousands of people, workers, and businesses, as well as local communities in Western New York, depend on our gaming enterprises,” Armstrong said. “Now that the distractions of another budget season and another legislative session have come and gone, we hope the state will fully commit to accelerating the pace of negotiations until we have reached a fair agreement on all compact terms.”
