Although the NY State Assembly is expected back in Albany next Tuesday and Wednesday to finish up some items before they end their work for the current session, don’t look for a new gaming compact to move forward.
That’s according to local Assemblymember Harry Bronson, a Rochester area Democrat.
He said that he and other members of the local state delegation met on Wednesday with members of the governor’s staff to talk about the speculation the Seneca Nation would like to place a casino in the Rochester area.
Bronson said the governor's staff confirmed the Senecas are interested in having a casino in this area, and he said the local delegation do have a number of questions.
“We asked for a market analysis and things of that nature," said Bronson. "We're looking forward to getting more information from the governor's office, but they have been able to answer some of our questions, none of which alleviated the concern our delegation has with having a casino in the Rochester market area.”
Bronson said his concerns about a casino in the Rochester area include questions about whether it would really benefit the local economy. And he said that he and other local lawmakers are also concerned about an adverse impact on communities that are already struggling with poverty and other issues.
Bronson does not anticipate the proposal for proceeding with a new gaming compact with the Seneca Nation will come up for a vote at next week's session.
And in any case, he feels there really isn’t a need to rush to come up with a new compact now, since the current gaming compact doesn’t expire until December.
