Casinos are for suckers

The Seneca Nation of Indians is on track to build a third casino. After the two in Niagara Falls, NY and Salamanca, NY, now they are unfortunately poised to build in our fair city of Buffalo, NY. This means land will be transferred to the Nation in perpetuity, they'll build a shiny gambling hall, and rake in the hard-earned dollars of my bad-at-math neighbors.

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton has to approve the land transfer, so Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County is running a letter-writing campaign to the good Secretary in an effort to persuade her to disapprove the application. Here's my letter.

October 27, 2005

Gale Norton, Secretary
Department of the Interior
1849 C St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

By facsimile: 202-208-5320

Dear Secretary Norton,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the siting of a Gambling Casino operated by the Seneca Nation of Indians in the City of Buffalo or the County of Erie in the State of New York. Such a venue would degrade the quality of life and damage the economy in our struggling city by siphoning cash out of our area.

The promised jobs and economic stimulus to be gained from such a venture have historically proven to be vaporous. They never materialize to the extent promised, and areas surrounding casinos suffer. Many localities have even suffered a net economic loss after factoring in law enforcement and other costs not borne by the casino.

This will especially be true here and now. Buffalo will never attract gamblers from away, because of the proximity of the casinos in Niagara Falls and at Turning Stone. It will be strictly for locals. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and we have never been given the opportunity to say so.

In addition, transferring land to the Seneca Nation of Indians from within the existing boundaries of the City of Buffalo will jam a bone down our throat forever. These lands have not been proven to be part of aboriginal Seneca lands. There is no reason to give them title now.

I urge you in no uncertain terms to disapprove the Seneca Nation of Indians application to transfer land to the Nation for purposes of operating a casino.

Sincerely,

November 2, 2005 is the deadline, so if you see this before then, fax a letter with your name and address expressing opposition. Maybe, just maybe, she'll consider our position.