"It's long past time for the Shinnecock Indian Nation -- whose South Fork land was stolen outright by Albany and whose legitimate claims to federal recognition languished far too long in the bureaucracy -- to be treated justly. That means the ability to build a full-scale casino to provide jobs and revenue to their people and help lift many of them out of poverty. It's won't be easy, but they deserve this chance.

The tribe already has the right to build a bingo-style hall on its reservation in Southampton. But it prefers not to, and it shouldn't. The Shinnecocks want to be good neighbors, and they recognize that even a limited casino there would add up to a traffic catastrophe on Hamptons roads already congested in the summer.

What they want is to build a full-fledged gambling facility, complete with slot machines, table games, and all the trappings of a major casino. To do that, they need to find a site, get Congress to help them designate it tribal land, and reach an agreement with the state -- including specifics on the split of revenues among the tribe, the state and local government. Also, the agreement would likely deal with the nation's land claim, based on the state's theft of a vast swath of its land."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Cuomo should meet with Shinnecocks on casino (Newsday 4/6)

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