Casino foes don't want Seneca Nation in lawsuit

Wednesday, June 17, 2009  

Opponents of an off-reservation casino in Buffalo, New York, say the Seneca Nation shouldn't be allowed to intervene in their lawsuit.

Citizens for a Better Buffalo says the federal government can represent the tribe's interests. "The United States government, with its abundant resources, is actively and aggressively defending the case," attorney Cornelius D. Murray told The Buffalo News. "There is no need for the Senecas to intervene in the action as a party."

The plaintiffs sued the National Indian Gaming Commission for approving the Buffalo Creek Casino. They say the casino site doesn't qualify for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

In the final days of the Bush administration, the NIGC said the Interior Department's new "Indian land" regulations don't apply in the Seneca case because the tribe acquired the gaming site in restricted fee status.

Get the Story:
Opponents to Seneca Buffalo casino renew efforts to stop it (The Buffalo News 6/17)