When completed, the Seneca Catskill
Mountains Hotel and Casino will include two million square feet of space, 6,000
slot machines, 120 table games and 30 poker tables
The Sullivan County Legislature approved
an agreement with the Seneca Nation of
Indians, a federally recognized
sovereign Indian Nation, the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp., a wholly-owned
corporate entity of the Nation, and Sullivan
County to develop a Class III gaming
casino on 63 acres of land in Thompson, N.Y.
In
consideration of the undertakings of the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp., Sullivan County
has agreed to actively work
with and assist the Nation, to obtain any
and all approvals required for the project
from governmental entities.
In further consideration of this agreement, the County will undertake, in its sole
discretion, to enter into agreements with
locally impacted entities to mitigate impacts of the project.
Under the agreement,
the
Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp. will pay directly to Sullivan County
for the benefit of the locally impacted entities as determined by the County, annual
local impact payments in accordance with the following schedule: years 1 and 2
prior to hotel completion, $15.5 million, years 3 through 7 subsequent to hotel
completion, $20 million.
John Paulsen, CEO of Rotate Black, Inc., the company that will manage and
operate the casino and hotel, thanked Sullivan County officials for their
enthusiastic support of the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino project.
Paulsen stated, “The Seneca Nation and I
want to personally thank Town of Thompson Supervisor Tony Cellini, Sullivan
County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis, Legislature Minority Leader Leni
Binder, County Attorney Sam Yasgur, County Manager David Fanslau, and Sullivan
County Legislators, Alan Sorensen, Jodi Goodman, Ron Hiatt, David Sager, Frank
Armstrong, Elwin Wood and Kathleen LaBuda for their support in this important
project to assist in the revitalization of Sullivan County.”
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther told Paulsen
during a separate meeting on Thursday that she will take the message of
Sullivan County’s support to Governor David Paterson for his needed approval of
project.
Once fully completed, the Seneca Catskill
Mountains Hotel and Casino will include two million square feet of space, 6,000
slot machines, 120 table games, 30 poker tables, race book center, a 1,500 room
hotel and spa, 12 restaurants, high end retail space, a 5,000-seat arena and
100,000 square feet of banquet space, and an arcade center amongst other
amenities.
Rotate Black
projects that the Seneca Catskill Mountains Hotel and Casino will generate
approximately $160 million in exclusivity fees to state and local governments,
which is greater than what is currently being paid state and local governments
under the Nation's existing Class III compact for its three Western New York
casinos. No other Indian nation in the state provides such sizable payments to
state and local governments.
The Seneca’s
Tribal Council established the Seneca Catskills Gaming Corp. as its development
arm for this venture.
Senecas gets approval for Class III casino in N.Y.
April 27, 2009
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