Empire Resorts Pulls The Plug On Catskills Casino Deal

February 6, 2008

The St Regis Mohawk Tribe placed some serious allegations against Empire Resorts stating the company has abandoned their joint casino project at Monticelle Raceway in Catskill Mountains. According to the tribe a formal letter was sent to them on Tuesday from Empire Resorts notifying them they would be pulling out from the $600 million project.

The casino was to feature 125 table games, 3,500 slot machines, 24 poker tables, restaurants, retail stores and of course entertainment venues. The casino itself was able to employ over 3,000 people within the region.
According to statements released from Empire Resorts, they have not pulled out from the project but are seeking out ‘additional business proposals’ since the tribe is already facing legal issues and are in the process of appealing a rejection of the plan from the federal government.

During late December, the U.S Department of Interior rejected the Mohawk’s proposal to open a casino at the current location after determining that the establishment would be too far north of the tribe’s reservation and fall on the US and Canadian border.

The release said Empire and Concord Associates are discussing the joint development of a 160-acre parcel in Kiamesha Lake, which may involve the relocation of Empire’s Monticello Raceway and video gaming operations to that site, three miles northeast of Monticello. The Mohawk’s have since filed an appeal to challenge the rejection of the application.This however has led to Empire Resorts to discuss a potential deal with Concord Associates into a 160 acre parcel in Kiamesha Lake.

This is not the first time there has been a dispute over a deal gone sour between the tribe and Empire records. In early 90’s another Catskill casino was to be built until Park Place Entertainment stepped in as the new developer with am end result of a lawsuit against Park Place Entertainment ( now owned by Harrah’s) whereby they were ordered to pay $1,8 million for interfering.

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