The Shinnecock Nation of New York isn't waiting for federal recognition to pursue plans for a casino.

Tribal leaders touted the benefits of Indian gaming at a meeting with the Suffolk County Legislature. They cited jobs, revenues and economic opportunities for local businesses.

"Everywhere that Indian gaming has come into a community, it has been beneficial to everyone," tribal trustee Lance Gumbs said, The Southampton Press reported.

The tribe tried to open a Class II facility on ancestral land before the plan was shot down in federal court. Tribal leaders acknowledged they didn't really want to build a casino there and were only using the idea as leverage.

The tribe is at the top of the waiting list for federal recognition. A pending lawsuit seeks to force the Bureau of Indian Affairs to make a decision.

Get the Story:
Shinnecocks See Casino as Boon to County (THe East Hampton Star 5/15)
Tribe pitches economic benefits of casino to county (The Southampton Press 5/13)