Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday an agreement between New York State and the St. Regis Mohawk tribe that would honor the tribe’s casino exclusivity, and exclude eight northern New York counties, including Warren and Essex, from casino gaming site legislation.
This agreement was precipitated by the tribe’s withholding payment (almost $30 million dollars) of gambling revenues to the state.
This agreement eliminated the possibility of a casino in Lake George. Governor Cuomo reaffirmed the state’s original commitment, meaning no non-Indian casino will be allowed in the tribe’s eight-county territory. This was a surprise, as Governor Cuomo has repeatedly expressed the need to promote North County economic development, and is a supporter of full-scale gambling.
Saratoga County is not one of the counties in the exclusionary agreement, so speculation has arisen that a full-scale casino may be slotted for Saratoga Springs instead. Do you think this was the right decision for the North Country?
