Mohawks To Walk Away From Casino Project

The tribe went on to say that it would immediately move to withdraw its pending lawsuit against Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne, who last month denied the tribe's land-into-trust application that would have allowed construction to begin on the project. The tribe will also withdraw all pending agreements before the National Indian Gaming Commission.

"We are angered and feel deeply betrayed by our gaming partners' decision to pursue a different project with a different partner," the St. Regis Mohawks state. "This comes after more than 12 years of effort and commitment by the tribe and the company to bring a Mohawk casino to the Catskills and marks a very sad day in the history of this project."

Earlier this week, Empire and Concord Associates LP, led by developer Louis R. Cappelli, reached an agreement for a hotel/resort gaming complex at the Concord Hotel less than three miles away in Kiamesha Lake. The agreement calls for the current video gaming machines facility or "racino" as well as the harness racing track to move to a 160-acre site on the grounds of the Concord Hotel. Concord Associates is the owner of the famed Concord Hotel property. The plan also involves the development of approximately 1.5 million sf of gaming, hotel and entertainment space. As proposed, the project would feature a 100,000-sf gaming facility that would house approximately 1,500 video gaming machines, a convention center, a hotel, golf, retail stores, restaurants and family entertainment uses. The gaming facility would be built inside what is currently projected to be a 500-room hotel, although Empire-Concord could build as many as 1,500 rooms.

In response to the St. Regis Mohawks' stated intent to cease all efforts relating to the casino, Empire Resorts SVP Charles Degliomini issued a statement of its own that could be seen as an olive branch to the tribe. "Empire Resorts is offering the people of Akwasasne the ability to participate in and benefit from our plans at the Concord regardless of whether or not the Secretary of the Interior's decision is overturned. Given the recent denial of the Mohawk application by the Interior Department, a Native American casino at the Monticello Raceway will now depend on either a decision by the federal court overturning the secretary's denial, or a newly appointed Secretary of Interior willing to reverse his predecessor's denial. Either of these alternatives are significant obstacles."

Empire Resorts statement continues, "nevertheless, Empire is willing to extend our relationship with the tribe and work together to see the unfair and unlawful decision overturned. We stand ready to work with the Mohawk people. We look forward to a positive response from the Tribal Council."