Officials with the Cayuga Nation and Alpha Hospitality Corp., and its affiliate Catskill Development LLC, report that they filed the application on Thursday, April 10. The application requests that the Secretary of the Interior acquire in trust on behalf of the Cayuga Nation the 30 acres of land surrounding Monticello Raceway where the nation intends to develop a $500-million casino.

The completed application fills six volumes and provides detailed information on every aspect of the proposed gaming project, officials with the Cayuga/Alpha partnership note.

"Our people are enthusiastic about proceeding with this project," Cayuga Nation Tribal leader Clint Halftown says. "It will greatly benefit the nation by enabling us to improve important services including education, housing and health benefits--and it will strengthen our culture. Earlier this week, Alpha Hospitality Corp., the owner of the Monticello Raceway, announced it had reached agreements with the Cayuga Nation to develop the casino at the raceway.

The Cayuga Nation proposal is the third major Indian casino gaming plan now in the works in Sullivan County. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and Park Place Entertainment have proposed a $500-million venture at the Kutsher's resort in the Town of Thompson and the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohicans and Trading Cove Associates have plans for a casino project in excess of $500 million to be built on vacant land near Exit 107 off Route 17 in Sullivan County.

The Cayuga Nation casino at Monticello Raceway would entail more than 600,000 sf of new construction, including a 137,000-sf gaming floor. The plan also calls for improvement work to take place at the Monticello Raceway facility.