No More Casinos Coalition

Andrew Cuomo's bet on casinos now a sure loser

NYS Casinos aren't the golden bullet they were promised to be...

nypost.com Gov. Cuomo’s plan to vastly expand casino gambling in New York is looking ever less likely to deliver his promised economic development. Two years ago, Cuomo rammed through a referendum to allow fo...

New York Attorney General Is Said to Review Casino Bidding Process

FYI.

nytimes.com The state attorney general’s office has opened a preliminary inquiry into the process by which three projects were recently recommended for new casino licenses, according to two former bidders.

Developer David Flaum buying Medley Center Macy's Building

Could David Flaum be planning a Seneca casino in Irondequoit?

Flaum says "We don't have any plans, the story is that we're buying it." (via 13wham.com)

democratandchronicle.com Rochester's David Flaum is buying a Macy's store that's been vacant since April 2014.

Casino industry: deep relationships, potential conflicts

Truly incredible. Report: All 3 winning bidders had employed the same law firm that the Location Board hired for $4.9million to help run the bid process. Also, Lago relationship with firm was redacted from public view.

pressconnects.com The selected casino bidders — Lago, Montreign and Rivers Casino — had prior business dealings with the firm that provided gambling-advisory services to the Gaming Facility Location Board.

Letter asks gaming board to deny Lago license

Opposition to "Lago" casino near Rochester mounts as WNY, CNY lawmakers, NY Thoroughbred Breeders, Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack, others write protest letter.

democratandchronicle.com Letter from WNY politicians asks gaming board to deny casino license to Lago Casino.

Three Casino-Resort Plans Accepted by New York State Board

Breaking news:

nytimes.com The board recommended the approval of resorts in the Catskills, near Albany and in central New York, ending an eight-month review of 16 proposals.

Nearly 200 residents (many showing solidarity by wearing red) attended the May 13th Monroe County Legislature Meeting to speak out against and demonstrate their opposition a casino in Monroe County. We are proud to say that room was so filled that we had to line the halls of the building and listen to the meeting via intercom, and guards closed the doors to the building so that many of our supporters had to wait outside.

Brooks opposes Seneca casino

Breaking: County Executive Maggie Brooks, in a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, announces her "formal opposition" to a casino in Monroe County.

We applaud her for this announcement, and for taking the time to thoroughly weigh this issue, talking extensively with "residents as well as business, faith and government leaders who are both in support of and in opposition to a casino in Monroe County.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/07/25/maggie-brooks-henrietta-casino-monroe-county/13149363/

democratandchronicle.com Monroe County executive sends letters to governor, federal Department of Interior.

DiNapoli: Casinos may not be windfall

According to today's Democrat and Chronicle article, the NYS Comptroller's Office is warning that new state casinos may not provide any windfall, as "much of the betting and revenue will come from New York residents….Such activity primarily represents substitution of spending on casino gambling for other consumer purchases or spending at other existing gaming venues.”

They also warn about a startling statistic: "About 5 percent of adult New Yorkers – roughly 670,000 people – experienced problem gambling."

democratandchronicle.com Report: New casinos could simply shift gamblers and jobs away from other, existing options.

The Seneca Nation’s statement that it will not pursue a casino in Monroe County “at this time” is merely a transparent ploy to get its opponents to let down their guard. The Seneca Nation has established again and again that they are not reliable partners to the communities in which they have an interest. Their history in Buffalo and Niagara Falls has proven that they say one thing and do another. They have neglected to make promised payments to local communities, in pursuing the Buffalo Creek facility they indicated they would build at the DL&W Terminal and in a bait and switch built on another parcel nearby. Additionally they promised the Buffalo Creek Casino would be a regional/national destination, and instead built a local “grind joint.” We are concerned that the Seneca have not changed their ways.

No one should believe for a moment that the danger of a Seneca Nation Casino in Monroe County has passed. The Seneca Nation continues to have a significant investment in commercial property in Henrietta that they have not offered for sale and their own statement leads us to believe that they are putting us on hold until the political winds shift.

The No More Casinos Coalition will continue seeking definitive statements from all levels of government opposing the development of a casino in Monroe County to close the door on a Seneca Casino for good. The people of this community deserve to know that a back-room deal that gives away sovereign land and puts an unwelcome casino in their back yard will not happen.

ALERT! We are getting reports that callers to Monroe County Clerk's Office are being discouraged from signing up to speak at tonight's legislature meeting. Your voice is important. Demand to be heard - it is your right. Don't be discouraged. Sign up to speak at 585-753-1950.

Please report here any problems you're having in signing up to speak after calling.

Due to its sovereign status, other than exclusivity payments, a Seneca Casino pays no property taxes, no state income tax, no county sales tax, and no school tax. Yet their casinos still create a myriad of social problems – with related social costs - which we taxpayers must finance (policing, courts, jails, medicare, rehab, addiction services, etc.). The state and county use tax revenues to fund social service agencies to address gambling-related issues. Non-sovereign gaming facilities pay their fair share – and then some, with tax rates above 65% to help cover these societal costs. Sovereign casinos pay but a fraction of that rate.

Please share Reason #12 on your timeline, and with your friends and family in and !

Studies show that crime rates have increased in towns that introduce casinos. In Niagara Falls, the increase is significant.

Please share Reason #12 on your timeline and with your friends and family in and

One more time, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Despite promises of lower taxes, the facts from Niagara Falls and Salamanca show that taxes actually increase after a Seneca Casino opens. Here are the facts from Niagara Falls.

Please share Reason #11 on your timeline and with your friends and family in and !

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Despite promises of lower taxes, the facts from Niagara Falls and Salamanca show that taxes actually increase after a Seneca Casino opens. Here are the facts from Salamanca.

Please share Reason #10 on your timeline and with your friends and family in and !

Not all jobs are created equally. Seneca casino jobs, because they are on sovereign land, do not provide the basic and fair protections for workers that the rest of us receive when we go to work in New York State. These missing protections include, but are not limited to, rights against harassment and the right to bargain collectively.

Please share Reason #9 on your timeline and with your friends and family in and !

Casino in the Town of Greece? - 13WHAM ABC Rochester NY - News - Top Stories

Add Greece to the list of potential Monroe County casino locations being pursued by the Seneca, according to Channel 13.

13wham.com Greece, NY - A group of developers from California are in the middle of purchasing the old Odenbach

Update: 10 Western NY Counties have passed resolutions asking Governor Andrew Cuomo to , and say NO to a 4th Seneca Casino in WNY.

When the due casino cash stopped flowing because of 4 years of withholdings in Buffalo, Salamanca, and Niagara Falls, the struggling municipalities in Western and Northern New York became collateral damage in a high-stakes confrontation between the state and Native American tribes; leaving the people of New York seriously questioning why they gambled on the decision to allow a Seneca Casino in their town in the first place.

Now that we face this decision again, please observe the lessons of history! We can not afford a 4th Seneca Casino.

Please share Reason 7 on your timeline and the timelines of your friends and family in WNY!

The Seneca promised to spend $1.7 million a year to market Buffalo to tourists – spending required by their 2006 agreement with the city. Evidence of any significant spending is not there according to a Buffalo News investigation, and Seneca Gaming has not filed required annual certifications.

Please share this reason on your timeline and with your friends and family in WNY!

The eight counties surrounding Monroe have taken action to oppose a fourth Seneca Casino! Residents have united to voice their opposition. Your voices are the biggest tool to stop this unsustainable development. We have come a long way, but still have much work to do. Let's join together and have our voices heard in Monroe County!

Below are more details on the Monroe County Legislature meeting happening tomorrow:
https://www.facebook.com/events/748088188569231/

Please Share Reason #7 on your timeline and with your friends and family in WNY!

If you don't want a casino built in Gates, please join us TONIGHT at the Gates Town Hall Meeting at 7:30 PM to ask the Town Board to oppose the Seneca Casino in our community!

There is a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting – if you are able to make a statement, be sure to arrive early.

Location: Gates Town Hall at 1605 Buffalo Road
Time: 7:30 PM

If we could choose ways to enhance Rochester's reputation as a center of educational excellence, would putting a casino in the middle of our campuses be on the list?

Please share Reason #5 on your timeline and the timeline of your friends and family in .

While seeking approval for a Buffalo casino, Seneca Gaming made dozens of promises to the city, including that the casino would be a huge job creator, invigorating the economy of Buffalo.

But fewer than half of the promised jobs have materialized 6 years later. Critics were worried the casino would take more money out of the community than it put back in, and as it turns out, legitimately so.

Please share on your timeline and the timeline of your friends and family!

While seeking approvals from the city of Buffalo, Seneca Gaming promised a unique tourist destination casino-spa-resort and presented the plans to the city and officials. But after they got approval, what they actually delivered was a much smaller, standard gambling facility, targeted more at a local, poor community.

Reason #2 for not doing business with Seneca Gaming:

Seneca casino falls short of meeting requirements of deal with city - The Buffalo News

The Buffalo News investigated the status of the promises made by Seneca Gaming Corporation in their agreement with the City of Buffalo. Their findings? Many of the promises have not been met. Be aware, Monroe County.

buffalonews.com Seven years after the Seneca Nation struck a deal to open a casino in Buffalo, the early promises of a thousand jobs, better streets and marketing pitches to gamblers outside Western New York appear half-kept, a Buffalo News analysis found….

Officials to Contact

We now have a list of officials YOU should contact in Henrietta/Monroe County!

Have your voice heard, and let those in charge know that you don't want a casino here!

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now!

In addition to businesses affected by diverted disposable income, the equine gaming industry in New York would suffer dramatic job losses if a Seneca Casino were built within this region. A casino would over-saturate the market, and with an unequal playing field, Batavia and Finger Lakes could be forced out of business.

Please share Reason #3 on your timeline and with your friends and family in Monroe County!

Town of Ridgeway Resolution in opposition to another Seneca Casino

Another resolution passed by the Town of Ridgeway!

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

5 Senators and 9 Assemblymen Oppose Casino - No More Casinos

Five Western New York Senators and nine Assemblymen have banned together in opposition to a Seneca Casino in Henrietta. They bring a very informed perspective, and are speaking from a lot of experience.

“There is no question the Western New York region needs additional economic development and jobs. But we don’t need a project like the proposed Seneca Nation casino, which will operate with an unfair competitive advantage and cause the failure of existing local businesses,”

Read the full report on our blog.

www.nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

Now that the Seneca Nation has purchased 32 acres in Henrietta, their business liaisons are going to talk to you about why going into the casino business is a win for the town.

Before you cash in and roll the dice, make sure to do your homework. For the next few weeks, we will be presenting the top reasons why amending the existing agreement with Seneca Gaming Corp. is a bad idea for Western New York.

Please share these posts and images on your own timeline, and with friends and family in the Western NY area!

Reason #1 - The Seneca Nation and New York already have a functioning agreement.

Town of Shelby Resolution in Opposition to Expanding Native American Casino Gaming in Western...

The Town of Shelby has joined the opposition!

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

Town of Albion Resolution in Opposition to the Expansion of Casino Gambling in the State of New York

And another one! A Resolution in Opposition to the Expansion of Casino Gambling in the State of New York by the Town of Albion, NY.

http://www.nomorecasinoscoalition.org/resolution_in_opposition_to_the_expansion_of_casino_gambling_in_the_state_of_new_york

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Resolution in Opposition to the Expansion of Casino Gambling...

Another resolution in opposition to the expansion of casino gaming in New York has been passed by The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce!

Governor Cuomo, listen up!

http://www.nomorecasinoscoalition.org/genesee_county_chamber_of_commerce_resolution_in_opposition_to_the_expansion_of_casino_gambling_in_the_state_of_new_york

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

Michael Nolan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of WROTB/Batavia Downs Gaming will be on 93.3 WFKL-FM tomorrow morning, from 8am to 9am.
Please tune in (and call in!), for a great discussion on the effects the Seneca Casino would have on the Rochester area. This is someone with a breadth of experience on the matter, and we are looking forward to an informative and productive hour, thanks 93.3!

Henrietta Town Board to oppose proposed casino

A big round of applause for Jack Moore, Henrietta's Town Supervisor, who officially came out in opposition to the Seneca Casino!
This is a great courageous step forward, BUT TAKE NOTE that this is a non-legally-binding statement of the Town of Henrietta and its Supervisor. Even with it, the casino could still be built here!
He is going to ask the town board to stand up with him and pass a resolution stating our opposition on the 19th.
This is a positive and welcome step in keeping a casino out of Monroe County.

See coverage of the announcement here:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/money/business/2014/03/07/henrietta-town-board-opposes-casino-proposal/6180081/

democratandchronicle.com Henrietta's supervisor and three Town Board members say they oppose the proposed casino.

Some Henrietta residents really don't want a casino

Big thanks to everyone who made it out to the town meeting last night, we had a great turn out!

If you missed the meeting, check out this article by Jeremy Moule from the Rochester City Newspaper.

http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/some-henrietta-residents-really-dont-want-a-casino/Content?oid=2345649 #.UxiicE1DyBw.gmail

rochestercitynewspaper.com By one speaker's estimate, approximately 120 people packed into a room at Henrietta Town Hall last night in response to a proposed casino in the...

Seneca Nation purchases 32 acres in Henrietta

Read our latest blog post for more information on how to speak out against a Casino in Henrietta. Now is the time to take action!

nomorecasinoscoalition.org Not Here, Not Now

Want to be on WXXI with Evan Dawson and Rachel Barnhart to talk Casinos? Tune in today from 1-2pm, or add your comments by Tel: 585-263-9994, FB: WXXI News or Tweet to