SALAMANCA — The Seneca Nation is encouraging the public to voice its support for the Nation’s efforts to secure a new “fair and equitable” gaming compact with New York state.
Seneca officials said community support events will be held throughout May in which the public can sign letters encouraging state leaders to come to an agreement with the Nation that ensures the continued operation of the Nation’s three casino properties in Salamanca, Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
The Nation’s current gaming compact expires in December.
The monthlong initiative kicked off May 4 at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, where the public could sign support letters in the resort’s hotel lobby.
“Now that the state’s leaders are completing their work on the state budget, no other issue can be more important and more impactful, especially here in Western New York, than finishing honest negotiations on a fair and equitable compact with the Seneca Nation,” said Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr.
Rickey Armstrong Sr.
Armstrong said tens of thousands of individuals, families and businesses, locally and across the state, depend on our gaming business for their livelihoods. He said the economic and human impacts and benefits of the Seneca Nation’s gaming enterprise reach far and wide.
“The people of our region understand and appreciate what the Seneca Nation means to Western New York, and we are asking our neighbors and our guests to let New York officials know that they support us,” he added.
Additional community support events, all from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., are scheduled for: May 11 at the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo; and May 12 at the Seneca Allegany Administration Building and May 18 at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, both in Salamanca.
In addition to the events being held throughout the month, the public is encouraged to visit standwithseneca.com, where they can sign an online petition. The support letters and the petition will be delivered to state officials in Albany at a future date.
“We have seen, every day for the past 20 years, the important difference our Nation businesses make in the lives of our employees and partners, in the lives of the Seneca people, in our neighboring communities, and across our entire region,” Armstrong said. “We want to see our positive impact continue well into the future. A fair and equitable gaming compact is the key driver for that to happen.”
Since signing its compact in 2002, the Seneca Nation has made nearly $2 billion in private investments to develop and operate its three casinos. Today, the three casino properties employ approximately 3,000 people, making Seneca Gaming Corporation one of the largest private employers in Western New York.
Between its casinos, other business enterprises and its government operations, the Seneca Nation is responsible for more than 5,000 direct jobs and spends nearly $600 million annually with more 6,000 vendors, supporting thousands of additional jobs. In all, the Nation delivers an annual economic impact of more than $1.1 billion to the Western New York economy.
Nation officials point out that, beyond the Nation’s investment and job creation, revenues from Nation-owned businesses fund important services and programs for the Seneca people, including housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure and more.
The Seneca Nation notified the state in March 2017 that it had made its final payment under the gaming compact negotiated in 2002.
An arbitration panel later sided with the state and directed the Senecas to remit $225 million to New York. The Senecas challenged the decision in federal court and asked for a review by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
On March 29, 2022, the Seneca Nation Tribal Council agreed to transfer more than $564.84 million from a restricted escrow account in which compact-related funds have been held throughout the five-year dispute.
The Nation has been engaged with New York officials on a new gaming Compact for several months. The New York State Legislature is scheduled to complete its legislative session on June 8.
