Henrietta Town Supervisor Jack Moore now says he is opposed to a casino in his town. That proposal came up recently after the Seneca Indians purchased 32 acres on Clay Road with the possibility of one day putting a casino there.
Earlier, Moore had said that while he is personally not a fan of casinos, he was looking for more information. But on Friday, Moore issued a statement saying that upon evaluating the input from town residents, now is the time to take a position.
He says town residents have spoken, and they have spoken loudly. Moore believes that whatever positive economic benefits a casino would provide is outweighed by the negatives, including some social problems.
He says at the next town board meeting, on Wednesday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m., he will introduce a resolution expressing the town board’s opposition to a casino. It would urge state and federal officials who have the authority to decide on the casino to deny permission for casino gaming in Henrietta.
A number of town residents opposed to a casino came to a recent town board meeting to express their feelings.
The Seneca Gaming Corporation issued this response:
“We are surprised and disappointed by today’s announcement. In numerous discussions over the past few months, Supervisor Moore and others have expressed a willingness to gather all of the facts before making a decision. We were not afforded the opportunity to present a full discussion on our vision, which included millions of dollars in private investment, 2,000 good-paying jobs and countless partnership opportunities for local companies. Our process was based on gathering community input to develop a plan that would best complement the surrounding community. We were working toward that end, but apparently will not have that chance in Henrietta. Seneca Gaming Corporation believes that new investment and job creation are good for Monroe County and good for all of Western New York. Opening a new Seneca property is an opportunity to work with a business with an established track record for getting things done, putting people to work, creating business opportunities with local companies and expanding the local economy. Ours is a vision for economic growth and job creation, and it is a vision that still fits within Monroe County.”
