Catskills Casino? Kathryn & Steve Quoted in the Village Voice

Want the latest on the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s proposed $600 million off-reservation Catskills casino in New York state? The idea of tribal casinos in the Borscht Belt is nothing new—former New York Governor George Pataki had pushed such development for some time, entertaining the possibility of revitalizing a near-dead region by creating hundreds or thousands of jobs and pumping millions of dollars in revenue sharing into the state’s coffer. But since Pataki’s recently elected successor Eliot Spitzer gave his blessing to the Mohawks’ Las Vegas-style casino in February, tongues haven’t stopped wagging.

What’s the big deal?

Well, one part of the big deal is the tribe’s management partner, Empire Resorts, which owns the land and in return for successfully shepherding the casino project through to completion stands to receive 30 percent of annual net revenues plus other fees. Award-winning Village Voice investigative reporter Tom Robbins recently detailed Empire’s history of financial scandals, alleged maltreatment of other tribes, and political cronyism in its ties to various New York state officials.

Kathryn and Steve both are quoted in the Voice, explaining why it is that the Mohawk casino may be a big deal, but is far from a done deal. Check it out here.