NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - Two months after the Seneca Nation said it would stop making casino revenue payments to the state, it does not appear a meeting has been scheduled yet between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Seneca Nation President Todd Gates to discuss the matter.
The casino payments have earned the state more than a billion dollars since the agreement between the two governments was reached in 2002. After the state receives the money, it's then allocated to Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca. However, the Seneca Nation believes the contract it signed in 2002 only required it to share casino slot revenue for 14 years, a fact the state strongly disputes.
The Seneca Nation made its last payment in late March. With the state still expecting a quarterly payment this summer, officials in Niagara Falls in particular had hoped President Gates and Gov. Cuomo might schedule a meeting for Wednesday during the Governor's visit to Buffalo.
It appears that did not happen.
Kristen Grandinetti, a Niagara Falls council member, said she's optimistic the state and the Seneca Nation will come to an agreement about the contract issue.
"I'm very optimistic about the whole thing. I think the Senecas' beef is more with the state than it is with us," Grandinetti said. "And I also, as a person who represents Niagara Falls, as an elected official, I don't like to impose a feeling of desperation. I don't think we're there yet."
The Seneca Nation has said it is willing to work with the state and municipalities to find a resolution.
The Seneca Nation released the following statement on Wednesday:
"Any and all discussions pertaining to the facts of the Compact will occur between the Seneca Nation and New York State. When the Nation's revenue share obligations were coming to an end in late March, the Governor asked President Gates directly if he would be willing to meet. The President said that he would, and continues to stand by that statement. So far, no specific dates have been set nor have any dates been offered by the Governor's office."