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Column: Mohawk backer wins $2.8B judgment (12/12)

"Not only did the longtime plugger of juicy Catskill casino stories, Joseph Bernstein, win a court victory last week that has the casino giant Harrah's nervous, he's won some hard-earned media coverage to boot. If...

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe sues over Catskills casino (11/02)

The state of New York and local officials are backing the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's lawsuit over its Catskills casino. Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) has been pressing the Bush administration to approve the tribe's land-into-trust...

Shinnecock Nation to appeal gaming ruling (11/01)

The Shinnecock Nation of New York plans to appeal a judge's decision that blocks the tribe from opening a gaming facility on ancestral territory. The tribe began preliminary work for a casino on a 79-acre...

Harrah's faces $2.8B judgment in Mohawk court (10/30)

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York is seeking to collect a $2.8 billion judgment against the world's largest gaming company. The tribe's court ordered Park Place Entertainment to pay $1.8 billion for interfering...

Kempthorne asked to visit Mohawk casino site (10/25)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is in New York City today but supporters of an off-reservation casino want him to make a detour to the Catskills. Kempthorne opposed off-reservation gaming when he was governor of Idaho....

Editorial: No gaming for Shinnecock Nation (10/22)

"The odds of the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s building a casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack are long indeed. A tribal casino has to be on tribal land, and the Shinnecocks have no land in Queens....

Patrons can bring alcohol to Oneida Nation casino (10/17)

The Oneida Nation of New York says patrons can bring alcohol to the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The tribe halted its "bring your own" policy as it sought liquor licenses from the state Liquor...

Shinnecock Nation optimistic on casino bid (10/17)

The Shinnecock Nation's proposal to build a casino resort at a racetrack is "doable," tribal trustee Lance Gumbs told Newsday. The tribe and its partner were one of six bidders to operate the Aqueduct Racetrack...

Tribes bid for gaming operations in New York (10/16)

Four tribes have submitted bids to operate a casino for the state of New York. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut, the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, the Seneca Nation of New York and the...

Shinnecock Nation offers to drop casino plan (10/15)

The Shinnecock Nation of New York is offering to drop its controversial plans for a casino on Long Island. The tribe instead wants to build a $1.4 billion gaming resort at the Aqueduct Racetrack...

Seneca Nation unveils plans for $333M casino (10/04)

The Seneca Nation of New York unveiled plans for a $333 million off-reservation casino. The Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo will feature a 90,000-square-foot casino and a 22-story hotel. The project is...

Oneida Nation denied liquor licenses at casino (10/04)

The New York State Liquor Authority denied all six liquor license applications by the Oneida Nation over questions about tribal sovereignty. The board cited "numerous" outstanding legal issues, including questions about taxation and the...

Seneca Nation unveils plans for Buffalo casino (10/03)

The Seneca Nation of New York is unveiling plans for its off-reservation casino in Buffalo. The tribe opened a temporary facility after receiving approval from the National Indian Gaming Commission. The $275 million permanent facility...

Oneida Nation seeks another liquor license (09/11)

The Oneida Nation of New York has applied for another liquor license at its Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The tribe wants to serve liquor at the Lodge, one of the four hotels at the...

Decision on Oneida Nation liquor license delayed (09/06)

The New York State Liquor Authority delayed a decision on a liquor license for the Oneida Nation after hearing arguments on both sides on Wednesday. Supporters cited the casino's positive economic impact on upstate...

Oneida Nation casino liquor license up for hearing (09/05)

The New York State Liquor Authority is holding a hearing today on the Oneida Nation's request to serve liquor at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The tribe wants the license in time for a...

Group asks Kempthorne to reject Catskills casino (08/29)

A new group called Catskill Mountainkeeper is gathering signatures for a petition to send to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. The group wants Kempthorne to reject the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's land-into-trust application. The tribe...

Three charged for death of Oneida casino worker (08/24)

Three men have pleaded not guilty in connection with the death of an employee of the Oneida Nation's casino in New York. Carl Hill, 20, died August 16 as a result of a brain injury...

Man surrenders after standoff at Oneida casino (08/23)

An eight-hours standoff at the Oneida Nation's casino ended with a man surrendering to police on Wednesday. Police went to the Turning Stone Resort and Casino to arrest Darren Grossman, 33, on an outstanding warrant....

Oneida Nation sees opposition to liquor license (08/16)

The Oneida Nation of New York should not be given a liquor license because the tribe doesn't follow state laws, critics say. The tribe applied for a license to serve liquor at the Turning Stone...

Stockbridge-Munsee Band hopeful on New York (08/16)

The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians from Wisconsin isn't giving up on its dream to open a casino in New York. President Bob Chicks said the tribe and its partner, Trading Cove, are committed to...

Wisconsin tribe awaits decision on New York casino (08/15)

The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians is "literally that close" to receiving federal approval of its casino project in New York, President Robert Chicks said. The Wisconsin tribe has finished its environmental assessment of...

Shinnecock Nation still wants shot at gaming (08/10)

The Shinnecock Nation of New York still wants to enter the casino market but is feeling left out of the game. The tribe wants to build a gaming facility on its reservation in Long Island....

Kempthorne pressed for ruling on Mohawk casino (08/06)

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) want to meet Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to discuss the tribe's off-reservation casino proposal. The tribe wants to open a casino in the Catskills,...

Tribes face challenge over liquor at casinos (07/23)

Two tribes, one in California and the other in New York, are facing challenges to serving liquor at their casinos. The Barona Band of Mission Indians in California won a state liquor license in 2004....

Editorial: Resolve Seneca Nation casino status (07/20)

"Recently, Citizens for a Better Buffalo and others opposed to the Seneca Nation’s Buffalo casino filed court papers asking U.S. District Court Judge William M. Skretny to expedite a decision. The sooner this issue is...

Artvoice: NIGC wrong on Seneca Nation casino (07/19)

"During the day a Seneca Nation marshal stands guard over the parking lot. He walks back and forth or stands still with his arms folded across his chest, mostly staying in the paved area...

Seneca Nation foes seek quick ruling on casino (07/13)

Opponents of the Seneca Nation's off-reservation casino in Buffalo, New York, want a federal judge to expediting a ruling in the case. Citizens for a Better Buffalo argues the land where the casino is located...

NIGC approves Seneca Nation off-reservation casino (07/03)

The National Indian Gaming Commission have given approval for the Seneca Nation of New York to open an off-reservation casino, The Buffalo News reports. The tribe acquired the site in downtown Buffalo pursuant to...

Kempthorne mum about views on Mohawk casino (06/28)

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) met with Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne for a half-hour on Wednesday but couldn't figure out where the Bush administration official stands on an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk...

Seneca Nation can't open off-reservation casino (06/18)

The Seneca Nation can't open its off-reservation casino in downtown Buffalo, New York, due to legal challenges. The tribe finished work on the casino last month, a gaming corporation spokesperson said. The 125-slot machine...

DOI won't revoke Oneida Nation gaming compact (06/14)

The Interior Department won't rescind its approval for the Oneida Nation's gaming compact with the state of New York. Associate deputy secretary Jim Cason said it was too late to review the 1993 deal. There...

Oneida Nation vows litigation on compact issue (06/13)

The Oneida Nation of New York vows "a whole lot of litigation" if the Interior Department tries to close the Turning Stone Resort Casino, a tribal attorney said. The casino opened under a 1993 compact...

Still waiting for DOI decision on Catskills casino (06/12)

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) plans to call Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne this week to talk about an off-reservation casino in the Catskills. Spitzer agreed to the casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe....

Oneida Nation faces DOI action on old compact (06/12)

The Oneida Nation of New York faces an Interior Department decision this week on the status of an old gaming compact. The tribe signed the compact in 1994. It was approved by the Bureau of...

Oneida Nation sued over casino construction work (06/05)

The Oneida Nation of New York is being sued for allegedly failing to pay a construction company for work at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The tribe hired Hunt Construction Co., of Indiana, to...

Review: A visit to the Oneida Nation lodge and spa (05/22)

"For a long time, Turning Stone, sitting in a field ten miles south and west of Rome, New York, and operated by the Oneida Nation, has been happy to exist as a casino resort...

Party drops out of St. Regis Mohawk casino suit (05/22)

The Sullivan County Farm Bureau has pulled out of a lawsuit challenging the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's proposed casino in the Catskills of New York. The Farm Bureau joined the National Resource Defense Council and...

Column: St. Regis Mohawk casino hits a wall at DOI (05/21)

"From the ashes of casino coalition's past, a new group in Sullivan County has risen to sell the benefits of a St. Regis Mohawk casino in Monticello. But the founders of The Future of the...

New York county to take up casino legislation (05/09)

Lawmakers in Ulster County, New York, are expected to vote on legislation to require local approval of any tribal casinos. A state law passed in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks authorizes...

Seneca-Cayuga Tribe still interested in New York (05/08)

The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma is still interested in developing a casino in New York the mayor of Auburn says. The tribe recently proposed a second casino in Oklahoma. But that doesn't worry Auburn Mayor...

DOI putting off Mohawk casino, New York lawmaker says (05/07)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is leaving a decision on the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's off-reservation casino to the next presidential administration, a New York state lawmaker says. Kempthorne opposes off-reservation gaming, Senator John Bonacic...

Column: State pressures Oneida Nation on gaming (05/07)

"Over the last couple of years, the highest federal and state courts have clearly determined that the land Turning Stone sits on is not sovereign Oneida land. Only sovereign Indian land is eligible for a...

Village Voice: New York's Catskills casino deal (05/03)

"On February 19, just seven weeks after taking office, [New York Gov. Eliot] Spitzer did something even Pataki never worked up the nerve to do, signing a formal letter of support to the U.S....

NIGC has no plans to shut down Oneida Nation casino (05/02)

The National Indian Gaming Commission has no plans to seek the closure of the Oneida Nation's casino in upstate New York, a spokesperson said. The tribe is operating without a valid compact, according to the...

Oneida Nation, New York miss deadline on compact (05/01)

The Oneida Nation and the state of New York have failed to reach agreement on a new Class III gaming compact. The tribe and the state were given until April 30 to decide how to...

Opinion: Casino not smartest option for Catskills (04/30)

"Eearlier this year, Gov. Eliot Spitzer reached an agreement with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe that brought New York one step closer to having a $600 million Las Vegas-style casino in Sullivan County, in...

Kempthorne said to be moving slow on Mohawk casino (04/24)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne won't be approving an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York any time soon. The Interior Department agreed to delay a lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources...

Agreement delays St. Regis Mohawk casino (04/23)

A court agreement will delay the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's proposed off-reservation casino in the Catskills. The tribe and the Interior Department agreed to seek a ruling on the adequacy of the environmental assessment...

Column: St. Regis Mohawk Tribe waits on Kempthorne (04/16)

"According to the St. Regis Mohawks, the tribe's casino project at the Monticello Gaming & Raceway won't live or die on what Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne thinks about it. Two tribal chiefs said yesterday...

Oneida Nation vows fight over status of casino (04/09)

The Oneida Nation of New York is vowing to do whatever it takes to keep its Turning Stone Resort and Casino open. The casino has been operating since 1993. But the tribe's Class III compact...

Opinion: Gaming benefits St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (04/06)

"I am writing in response to a column published in the Times Herald-Record on March 25, written by Doug George, "Not all Mohawks agree with tax concession for casino." I am a senior citizen and...

Anti-Indian group calls Oneida Nation casino illegal (03/28)

An anti-Indian and anti-treaty rights group says the Oneida Nation's casino in New York is illegal. But Upstate Citizens for Equality doesn't want the Turning Stone Resort and Casino to be shut down. Instead, the...

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe angry over Oneida letter (03/27)

The leaders of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York sent an angry letter to Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter after he accused the Mohawks of giving up their sovereignty. The Mohawks agreed to...

Opinion: Mohawks oppose Catskills casino deal (03/26)

"Not all Mohawks, not even a majority, support a Monticello casino if the last public meeting at the St. Regis Tribal Council is any indication. Confronted by the hostile crowd, tribal officials on March 3...

Mohawk Chiefs: Tribe shares vision for New York (03/26)

"On behalf of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, we would like to share with you information about our efforts to reinvigorate the economy in upstate New York and create a more secure and prosperous future...

Oneida Nation leader responds to Interior threat (03/22)

Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter criticized efforts to invalidate the tribe's gaming compact with the state of New York. Halbritter said leaders don't go back on their promises. He said people who are trying to...

Former Mohawk casino partner in legal hot water (03/22)

Stanley S. Tollman, one of the first investors in the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's off-reservation casino in the Catskills, won't ever be able to visit the facility if it is built. That's because he...

Oneida Nation faces action for 1993 compact (03/21)

What happens if the Interior Department approves a gaming compact that is subsequently struck down in the state courts? No one knows but the Oneida Nation might find out. The department, for the first...

Kempthorne threatens Oneida Nation over compact (03/20)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is threatening to take action against the Oneida Nation of New York unless it negotiates a new compact with the state. Kempthorne said the tribe and the state have until April...

NIGC reviews status of Onedia Nation casino land (03/19)

The National Indian Gaming Commission is reviewing the legal status of the Oneida Nation's casino, The Albany Times-Union reports. The Turning Stone Resort & Casino was built within the tribe's original reservation. But the land...

Interview: Sen. Schumer and off-reservation gaming (03/19)

The Middleton Times Herald-Record interviews Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) about his efforts to secure federal approval for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's off-reservation casino in the Catskills. The casino has the support of state...

Seneca Nation to respond to NIGC subpoena (03/12)

The Seneca Nation of New York says it will respond to a subpoena issued by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The tribe was refusing to turn over documents to NIGC as part of an ongoing...

Casino Roulette: Indian gaming in New York (03/12)

RESERVATION SHOPPING: "Earlier this year, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthrone dealt a spanking to all tribes with dreams of an off-reservation casino. Don't bet on approval, he told 42 tribes seeking casinos, including The St. Regis...

NIGC subpoenas documents from Seneca Nation (03/09)

The National Indian Gaming Commission has issued a subpoena to the Seneca Nation of New York as part of an investigation into the tribe's per capita payments. Each tribal member received about $6,000 this year...

Mayor wants casino for Seneca-Cayuga Tribe (03/08)

The mayor of Auburn, New York, wants the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma to have a casino in the city. Mayor Timothy Lattimore asked Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) to negotiate a deal with the out-of-state tribe....

New York law school to host gaming conference (03/07)

The Government Law Center at the Albany Law School in New York will be hosting an Indian gaming conference on Friday, March 16. "Surging or Pausing: The State of Indian Gaming in New York," will...

Column: Smoke and mirrors on Catskills casino (03/05)

"The Spitzer administration was apparently blowing some smoke in its initial suggestion that a Mohawk casino in the Catskills would be smoke free, but the governor's office is still hopeful at least a partial ban...

Groups urge no smoking at off-resevation casino (03/01)

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) is being urged to ensure that the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe doesn't allow smoking at its off-reservation casino. Spitzer and the tribe signed a deal to apply all local...

New York governor lobbies Kempthorne on casino (02/27)

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) began lobbying Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne about the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's proposed off-reservation casino. Spitzer supports the casino, which he said will create jobs and revenues for the...

Editorial: Mohawk casino still a bad idea for state (02/26)

"Casinos in the Catskills were a bad idea when Gov. George Pataki proposed them, and they're still a bad idea, now that Gov. Eliot Spitzer has signed a compact with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe...

Editorial: Mohawk casino a bad bet for New York (02/26)

"Gov. Eliot Spitzer unfortunately is following in the footsteps of his predecessor by betting on gambling as a savior of the state's dilapidated economy. That's the wrong direction. Gambling is a self-destructive behavior that ruins...

Editorial: Kempthorne should reject Mohawk casino (02/26)

"Gov. Eliot Spitzer has announced he wants a sprawling Indian casino in the Catskills. In order to get it, he plans to go to Washington to lobby the Secretary of the Interior for final approval....

Letters: New Yorkers not happy with Mohawk casino (02/26)

Tom Cahill: "New York taxpayers, especially, do not need to be in business with a tribe as disreputable as the St. Regis Mohawks." Daniel Aiello: "Casinos, especially those run by crooks, are not a...

Keep casinos in Catskills, lawmaker says (02/23)

A New York state lawmaker wants to make sure tribes don't try to open casinos outside of the Catskills. State law authorizes up to three casinos in the Catskills, about 90 minutes north of New...

Seneca Nation cites $1.2B impact on economy (02/23)

A report commissioned by the Seneca Nation of New York cites the tribe's $1.2 billion impact on the local and state economy. The report highlights the tribe's gaming operation, which contributed $68 million to the...

Column: Catskills not jumping for joy on casino (02/22)

"You'll forgive folks in Sullivan County for not whooping it up after hearing that Gov. Eliot Spitzer had worked out a compact with the St. Regis Mohawks to open a $600 million casino at Monticello...

Mohawks anxiously await off-reservation casino (02/22)

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York is no stranger to gaming but tribal members see an off-reservation casino taking them to another level. Chief Lorraine White said revenues from the casino in the...

Editorial: Bad move on St. Regis Mohawk casino (02/21)

"Gov. Spitzer is getting into bed with the St. Regis Mohawks, giving the green light to a partnership between the upstate Indian tribe and a private firm to build a $600 million casino at the...

Residents of Catskills skeptical of Mohawk casino (02/21)

Residents of the Catskills, a once-thriving resort community north of New York City, aren't jumping for joy with the state's approval of an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Many support the...

Editorial: St. Regis Mohawk Tribe paid for casino (02/21)

"We have no problem with Indians, or anyone else, participating in the political process through campaign contributions. It is a First Amendment right. But if the idea is that allowing Indians to operate casinos is...

Cayuga tribes won't get any Catskills casinos (02/20)

Two Cayuga tribes who lost their land claim won't be getting any casinos in the Catskills, a tribal spokesperson said. The Cayuga Nation of New York and the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma were offered separate...

New York governor approves off-reservation casino (02/19)

$stalker New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) has approved an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Spitzer and the tribe signed a deal today for the $500 million casino in the Catskills. It...

Legal issues cloud off-reservation casino (02/19)

The Seneca Nation of New York already broke ground on its off-reservation casino in Buffalo but the site's legality remains in question. The tribe bought the site with land claim settlement funds. Under an...

Kempthorne still has role in off-reservation casino (02/16)

Last December, the Interior Department issued a finding of no significant impact for the off-reservation casino sought by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York. It's now up to New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer...

New York governor close to off-reservation casino (02/06)

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) is close to a decision on an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Spitzer is due to make a decision within days. "There are negotiations going on...

Professor: No dice on Seneca Nation casino in Buffalo (01/18)

"The bottom line on US District Court Judge William M. Skretny�s 51-page January 12 decision in the Buffalo casino case is this: The nine-acre parcel of land in downtown Buffalo on which the Seneca...

New York governor to decide on Mohawk casino (01/11)

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) will be making a decision on an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe within a couple of months, a top aide said. The Interior Department gave approval...

New York governor pressed on off-reservation casino (01/10)

Recently inaugurated New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) is being urged to approve an off-reservation casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. The Bureau of Indian Affairs gave its approval for the tribe to build...

Group seeks closure of Oneida Nation casino (01/09)

An anti-sovereignty and anti-treaty group in New York filed a lawsuit on Monday in hopes of shutting down the Oneida Nation's casino. Upstate Citizens for Equality already won one court decision that said the tribe's...

Oneida Nation has hopes for New York casino (01/08)

The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin isn't giving up dreams of a casino in New York, its ancestral homeland. The tribe is part of the 250,000-acre Oneida land claim. A settlement would allow the tribe to...