Judge won't reverse stance on Seneca casino land

Monday, April 23, 2007  

A federal judge refused to overturn his ruling that called into question the legal status of the Seneca Nation's proposed off-reservation casino site in Buffalo, New York.

In January, Judge William M. Skretny rebuked the National Indian Gaming Commission for approving a gaming ordinance for the site. He said the agency failed to determine whether the land qualifies for a casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

IGRA bars casinos on land taken into trust after 1988. But an exception allows gaming if the land was taken into trust pursuant to a land claim settlement.

The tribe contends it satisfies the exception. But Skretny says NIGC never came to that determination.

The ruling hasn't stopped the tribe from constructing a temporary casino in Buffalo.

Get the Story:
Judge upholds ruling against Seneca casino (The Buffalo News 4/21)