HTN: Casino Opponents File Another Suit

A third lawsuit has been filed in the effort to stop the Seneca Nation of Indians from operating a casino in downtown Buffalo. Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County hope this is the final legal action that they will need to take to end loopholes which allowed the approval of the casino. The suit asks a federal judge to overturn his decision which deemed the property near the Cobblestone District as sovereign Seneca soil. The Senecas began constructing the 333-million dollar facility but stopped last summer due to the economic recession.

HTN: Another Casino Challenge Looming

Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County are gearing up to challenge two rulings from federal agencies supporting the Seneca Nation of Indians' rights to operate the downtown Buffalo casino. The group will ask Judge William Skretny to overturn the decisions of the National Indian Gaming Commission and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Those rulings reaffirm the rights of Seneca Gaming to operate the casino.

Hometown News: Casino Layoffs

Seneca Gaming has announced the layoff of 210 employees, blaming a worsening economy. The pink slips affect all three of the company's casinos: Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Salamanca. Seneca Gaming also called for a salary freeze for employees making over 70-thousand-dollars-a-year, suspended yearly bonuses, and is reducing salaries for senior managers and company directors. Seneca Gaming Chairman and Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder said net revenues have dropped over the last several months, both locally and throughout the gambling industry. Some of the country's biggest casinos have reported dismal earnings and announced cutbacks. The company has also suspended work on expansion projects in Buffalo and Salamanca. The company operated 65-hundred slot machines, 140 table games, 800 hotel rooms, and many other amenities as of late August.

Casino Opponents File Follow-Up Motion

Opponents of the Seneca's downtown casino say the National Indian Gaming Commission is ignoring a federal judge's ruling that gambling there is illegal. Cornelius Murray, lawyer for Citizens against Casino Gambling in Erie County, has filed a motion before Judge William Skretny, saying it's time to shut down the casino:

http://www.weck1230.com/News/Murray1.mp3

Mayor Brown, County Executive Collins, and Congressman Higgins have all come out in favor of the casino, but Murray says the reasoning of government officials is flawed:

http://www.weck1230.com/News/Murray1.mp3

Downtown Casino Ruling will be Appealed

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a notice of appeal in the Downtown Casino case. The filing asks for a review of Judge William Skretny's ruling that gambling on the Seneca's Buffalo site is illegal. If the notice is accepted, the case would be heard by a panel from the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, with a ruling within the next year.

Senecas Vow to Keep Casino

The Seneca Nation said yesterday it has requested a new gaming ordinance from the National Indian Gaming Commission, for permission to run a downtown Buffalo casino. Citizens for a Better Buffalo went back to court to demand enforcement of a judge's August ruling that gambling there was illegal. The anti-casino group filed papers to force the NIGC to shutdown the Buffalo Creek facility. The Seneca Nation has said it will appeal the judge's ruling. The deadline for that is October 27th.

Casino Construction Halted

Construction on the permanent downtown casino has been suspended. The Senecas have also stopped work on a 130-million dollar expansion of their casino in Salamanca. The stop-work order went out a day after a federal judge reaffirmed his decision that gambling on the Buffalo site was illegal. Attorneys for the Senecas say that is not what has halted the work. They say a downturn in the gambling industry based on the struggling economy is to blame. Opponents of casino gambling see the halt in construction as a positive move.

Reaction to Judge's Ruling

Fallout continues today from yesterday's re-affirmation by Federal Judge William Skretny that the Seneca Casino in downtown Buffalo is illegal. The judge directed the National Indian Gaming Commission to take action, but so far the the temporary casino stays open. The Senecas expect that the judge's ruling will be appealed by the U.S. Justice Department.

Judge Directs Feds to Act in Casino Case

The latest ruling in the downtown casino case came down today. Judge William Skretny has directed the federal governnment to take action on his July decision that gambling is illegal at the Seneca site. Attorney Neil Murray says that casino opposition group Citizens for a Better Buffalo is already planning its next move. Skretny did not directly order the Senecas to shut down their temporary facility. Mayor Byron Brown stated that the City of Buffalo remains committed to the project.

Feds Stepping Into Casino Conflict

The U.S. Justice Department is asking Federal Judge William Skretny to turn the entire downtown casino issue over to the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Justice Department says recent events including new regulations may impact the case. Anti-gambling groups have asked the judge to shut the casino down, and Skretny has scheduled a hearing for August 21st.

Judge Schedules Casino Hearing

The possible downtown casino closure heads back to court next month. The Senecas have not stopped construction and have kept the provisional casino open. Now Judge William Skretny has given the National Indian Gaming Commission until August 1st to respond to a motion filed by casino opponents, and will hold a hearing on Agust 21st.

Reaction to Casino Decision

Now that anti-gambling forces in Erie County have won a round in downtown Buffalo, what happens next? Albany attorney Cornelius Murray, who represents Citizens for a Better Buffalo, spoke with Donahue and Moore this morning on WECK. The Seneca Nation says that gaming will continue at the temporary casino, and construction will continue on a permanent facility. County Executive Collins spoke out in favor of an appeal of the decision.

Casino Cash Held Up

The first payout of slot machine money from the temporary Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is due at the end of the month, but it's not exactly coming up cherries. Neither Buffalo nor Erie County should expect to see a penny at any time soon. The money will be staying in Albany because the city and county can't agree on how to split it up. The casino jackpot is expected to reach $7 million a year when the permanent casino facility opens in 2010.