Secret tapes show pressure on Mohawk tribe

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2003

The world's largest gaming company helped put pressure on the St. Regis Mohawk / Akwesasne Nation in order to derail a casino deal, The New York Times reports.

According to secret audiotapes, a Park Place Entertainment executive and the manager of the tribe's on-reservation casino discussed how the manager was delaying payments to the tribe. This helped push the tribe to sever an existing deal in favor of working with Park Place on a lucrative off-reservation casino in the Catskills.

The jilted company, Catskills Development, is trying to use the tapes to reopen a lawsuit against Park Place.

Park Place signed a deal with the tribe's traditional three chiefs, who are recognized as the legitimate tribal leadership, Catskills Development reportedly signed a deal with the chiefs and a rival faction that was declared invalid.

The tribe is awaiting Bureau of Indian Affairs approval for a land-into-trust transfer in the Catskills region of New York.

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Despite Law, Catskills Casino Is a Dubious Bet Anytime Soon (The New York Times 3/18)
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