Okla. tribe on Catskills radar

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2002

The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma is willing to drop its part of a land claim settlement in exchange for a casino in New York.

The tribe, whose ancestors were removed from New York, is part of the 64,000-acre Cayuga land claim. A federal judge has determined the Cayuga deserve $247.9 million for the loss.

The tribe says it would forego its share of the money for a casino in the Catskills. Gov. George Pataki (R) has been authorized to negotiate three compacts for three casinos in the region.

The Akwesasne Mohawk Nation has signed one compact and is awaiting a land-into-trust decision from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to open a casino.

Get the Story:
Tribe willing to swap land claim for gaming (The Albany Times-Union 3/13)
Bruno held casino talks with Oklahoma tribe (The Buffalo News 3/13)
Another tribe shows interest in western New York casino (AP 3/12)

Related Stories:
Judge halts land claim payment (3/12)
Settlement sought on Cayuga claim (11/26)
Editorial: Justice on Cayuga land claim (11/26)
Cayuga Nation wants $20M more for land (10/16)
Anti-treaty group blasts Cayuga ruling (10/9)
Cayuga claim still involves landowners (10/5)
Questions linger over Cayuga ruling (10/4)
Judge says Cayuga Nation owed $211M (10/3)
Dispute continues over land claims (8/6)
Tribe could have homeland (5/4)
Land bought for Cayuga Nation (5/3)
State tried to step out of land claims (11/6)
Congressman's ad attacks land claims (10/20)