Facebook Twitter Email
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2001

By year's end, pro- and anti-casino interests in New York will have spent $2 million to lobby the state to expand Indian gaming in the state, according to lobbying records.

The pros seem to have won out, even if they were spurred on by September 11's terrorist attacks and the financial devastation it has caused. Today, Gov. George Pataki (R), a gaming proponent, is scheduled to sign into law the largest expansion of gaming in the state that will usher in three Indian-owned casinos in western New York and the Catskills.

Examples of spending, as reported by The Albany Times-Union:

• The Seneca Nation has spent $403,000 on its lobbying team so far.
• The operators of the New York lottery has spent $159,000.
• Donald Trump has spent at least $148,000.

The Cayuga Nation, said to be interested in one of three Catskills casinos, is denying a visit to the region.

Get the Story:
Lobby costs for gaming at $1.8M (The Albany Times-Union 10/31)
Betting on Casinos Deal (Newsday 10/31)
Cayugas deny Catskills visit (The Syracuse Newspapers 10/31)
Legislators roll dice on gaming expansion (The Syracuse Newspapers 10/31)
Hoffmann objects to gaming bill (The Syracuse Newspapers 10/31)

Related Stories:
N.Y. gaming raises questions (10/29)
Editorial: The gaming dependency (10/26)
More N.Y. gaming worries non-Indians (10/26)
N.Y. approves major gaming deal (10/25)
Schumer: Oneida Nation wants casino (10/25)
N.Y. gaming welcomed by some (10/24)
N.Y. 'closer' to Seneca gaming deal (10/23)
Bingo may be enough for Seneca Nation (10/18)
Labor unions oppose Seneca casino (8/31)
Pataki wants casino deal approved (8/29)
Tapping the gaming market (8/27)
Gaming seen as threat to sovereignty (8/6)
Seneca Nation promises open casino talks (8/1)
Catskills casino not done deal (7/31)
Seneca Nation delays casino vote (7/27)
N.Y. confident on Seneca slots (7/25)
Seneca Nation members fight compact (7/13)
Seneca Nation may delay compact vote (7/11)
Cuomo wants unions at Seneca casinos (7/10)
Seneca leaders endorse gaming compact (6/26)
Hurdles left on Seneca gaming (6/25)
N.Y. Senate ratifies Seneca compact (6/22)
Seneca Nation, New York sign compact (6/21)
Seneca Tribe negotiating compact (5/18)