$600 million ante

By William J. Kemble , Correspondent Daily Freeman June 17, 2005

KINGSTON - The upstate development company that would build an Indian casino on the Winston Farm in Saugerties says Ulster County would receive $600 million in return for allowing the gaming hall on the 840-acre property.
Thomas George, a spokesman for Wilmorite Inc., the Rochester-based developer of shopping malls, confirmed the Seneca-Cayuga tribe's offer -$30 million per year for 20 years - after a meeting Thursday night of the county Legislature's Casino Impact Committee. Earlier in the day, committee Chairman Wayne Harris said, Wilmorite representatives gave a 25-minute presentation to the Ulster County Development Corp.
"The first question that was asked was something like, 'Are you aware of the resolutions (opposing casinos) that were passed by the county last week for the village of Saugerties and the town of Saugerties?'" said Harris, R-Clintondale. "The answer was, 'Yes, however, we feel as though we've got lots more information to present and wonder if we could have anyone who would like to reopen discussions.'"
What remains unclear is whether the state would even allow a casino to be built in Saugerties. Gov. George Pataki, who at one time proposed as many as five casinos in the Catskills to settle Indian land claims, now is recommending only one, and he says it will be in Sullivan County.
George, in a telephone interview, said the annual payment by the Seneca-Cayugas was offered to the county without stipulations as to how much Saugerties would receive as the host community.
"It would be an economic guarantee ... but how it's split is not up to us," he said.
Harris said it was suggested at the Ulster County Development Corp. meeting that the county receive $20 million per year and the town and village of Saugerties receive a total of $10 million per year.
The casino proposal has drawn formal opposition from both the town and village of Saugerties. Late Thursday, town and village leaders said the financial offer would not sway them in their opposition to the proposal for a casino resort that would include a 1.2 million-square-foot gaming center, a 900-room hotel, an arena, a convention center a and 27-hole golf course.
"I personally feel that, no matter what they offer in the way of monetary initiatives, I would not be in favor of a gaming casino in Ulster County," village Mayor Robert Yerick said. "They are short-term gains. In the long term, when you look at all the aspects of what they bring, what they take away, as far as I'm concerned, it destroys a community. Saugerties would no longer be Saugerties."
Town Supervisor Greg Helsmoortel was angered that the proposal was brought to the Ulster County Development Corp. without the host community being told.
"How can they have this kind of meeting without inviting Saugerties?" he said.
Helsmoortel said discussions between local officials and the Oklahoma-based Indian tribe broke off about five weeks ago after tribal leaders were informed about the local resolutions opposing the casino. "At that time, they weren't offering Saugerties anything," he said.
Seneca-Cayuga leaders could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

©Daily Freeman 2005

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