Mohawk tribe supports Seneca casino project

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The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has expressed its best wishes to the Seneca Tribe, located in western New York, in its bid to build a casino in the Catskills.

"Based on our experience on attempting to get gaming in the Catskills, it involves many years of hard work and has many steps in the process," said Mohawk TribalChief BarbaraLazore. TheSt. RegisMohawk Tribe governs the U. S. portion of the Akwesasne reserve.

The Seneca Tribe is considering putting a 63-acre parcel of land aside for the construction of a casino once it is transferred from a Michigan gaming company.

"Although tribes are authorized to acquire property and place it into trust status, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires that any land acquired and put into trust for the purposes of gaming must be in the tribe's aboriginal land area," said Tribal Chief James Ransom.

Another part of the process involves getting agreement with the state of New York for a new Indian casino and negotiating a gaming compact.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe considered building a casino in Sullivan County, but was unable, due to an unfavorable ruling from the Department of the Interior.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly electedandfederallyrecognizedgovernmentof theSt. Regis Mohawk People.