Indian Gaming

Four non-Indian casinos will generate $430 million a year, according to the New York State Division of the Budget.

Voters are being asked to authorize an expansion of non-Indian gaming [PDF: Proposal 1] this November. Revenues will be used for schools, property tax relief and local governments.

"The Division of the Budget projects the Upstate New York Gaming and Economic Development Act will produce $238 million, annually, in additional aid for education or property tax relief across the entire State, plus an additional $192 million in annual local government aid," the agency said in a press release.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) will be campaigning for the referendum. He reached deals with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Oneida Nation and the Seneca Nation to keep non-Indian casinos out of their territories in exchange for a cut of their revenues.

The Upstate New York Gaming and Economic Development Act dictates how the state will distribute tribal revenues to local communities.

"Western New York/Finger Lakes counties in the Seneca exclusivity zone will receive $50.4 million annually in local government aid. North Country counties in the Niagara Mohawk exclusivity zone will annually receive $8.9 million," the agency said in the press release. "Counties in the Central New York/Mohawk Valley region will annually receive $23.5 million as a result of the Act and the recent settlement with the Oneida Indian Nation of New York."

Get the Story:
Cuomo's office: Casinos would generate $430 million annually (The Journal News 10/3)
Budget division outlines the economic value of four new casinos (The Albany Times-Union 10/2)

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Column: Polls showing strong support for non-Indian gaming (9/30)