Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Time is running short on a new casino compact between the Seneca Nation and New York State. Congressman Nick Langworthy is asking Gov. Kathy Hochul for a status report on talks.
"I'm deeply concerned ... that there's 40 days or so that remain on the current compact," Langworthy tells WBEN. He adds there's a lot riding on a new deal between the Senecas and New York. "They employ over 1,000 people in Western New York, it's a major economic driver," says Langworthy.
Langworthy says in his letter to Hochul, "These employees deserve to know if their jobs are safe or if their gaming licenses are in jeopardy. Whether it’s a new compact or an extension of the current compact, Governor Hochul must provide a timely update.”
Langworthy has another reason for a status report: once the compact deal is reached, there is a federal hurdle. "It's going to take time for the Interior Department to review this," explains Langworthy. They handle a lot of oversight of Native American Affairs, making sure that there's a fair and equitable arrangement based on other compacts that are going on across the country, with native gaming."
The Senecas say negotiations have been ongoing for the past year. The deadline is Dec. 9.