The Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin will face major hurdles in its bid to open a casino in New York.
The tribe needs federal approval for its land-into-trust application and its Class II gaming compact. Since the anticipated deal apparently involves a land claim, Congress might also need to weigh in. Although Gov. David Paterson ( (D) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) support the project, other tribes in the state aren't too pleased. “We, and presumably every other Indian nation, were stunned to learn that the state of New York would invite an out-of-state tribe into the state to conduct gaming, which means that all of the profits will be drained from New York and returned to their home in Wisconsin,” said Mark Emery, a spokesperson for the Oneida Nation. “Governor Paterson’s deal with the out-of-state Stockbridge-Munsee tribe to create a Catskills casino is an affront to the Seneca Nation of Indians,” said Richard Nephew, council chairman of the Seneca Nation, The New York Times reported. In the history of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, only one tribe -- the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma -- has successfully crossed state lines to open a casino. Get the Story: