The Catskill Chronicle

Stories and photos by Carol Montana

ROCK HILL, NY (December 16, 2010) – The main phrase used by most of the speakers at Monday’s Catskill Casino Coalition Luncheon Meeting at Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant in Rock Hill was “one signature away.”

The “signature” to which they were referring is that of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, in whose  hands rests the current fate of casino gaming in Sullivan County.

Last month, New York State Governor David Paterson settled a land claim and signed a compact with the Wisconsin-based Stockbridge Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians, paving the way for them to build a casino gaming and destination resort in Bridgeville.  

Monday’s meeting was hosted by Todd Diorio (photo left), President of Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council (HVBCTC) and President of the Catskill Casino Coalition. The latter group is “focused on supporting gaming, jobs and economic development in Sullivan County,” said Diorio. “We’re one signature away from a gaming facility and destination resort in Sullivan County.”

HVBCTC represents building and construction workers and affiliates in Orange, Ulster, Sullivan and Dutchess Counties.

Speakers both thanked the attendees and exhorted them to come together and write letters of support and contact those in power. Chris White, representative for Congressman Maurice Hinchey said, “We’ve been in constant contact with the Department of the Interior. We are in the process of setting up a call with the Secretary of the Interior, … we hope that will happen in the next week.”

Other speakers included Joanne Drake, Senator John Bonacic’s representative; Vince Benedetto, owner of Bold Gold Media Group; Jacob Billig, local lawyer and representative of the Stockbridge Munsees; Steve Quaranto, President and Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers 38 and Vice President of HVBCTC; and Josh Sommers, Chairman of the Sullivan County Partnership.

In addition to addressing the right of the Stockbridge Munsees to claim New York land, Billig (speaker photo right) also focused on the agreements they have in place “with the county of Sullivan, Village of Monticello and the Town of Thompson. Now we have the land claim settlement with the state of New York, and we have a compact with the state of New York. The last government that has to sign off on this is the Federal Government.”

Billig also addressed questions about the environmental impact study. “Every i had been dotted and t has been crossed. There are mussel species in the Neversink River, we hired a mussel expert. We’ve looked at other endangered species. We’ve looked at runoff … I can tell you that our runoff plan complies with all DEC regulations so that there will be no runoff on the site. … We’ve looked into municipal water and sewer. …

Diorio also clarified that it’s not just the Stockbridge Munsees that the group is backing. “We don’t support just one (casino), we support the local Monticello Gaming, we support the next group that’s close to a casino … whether it’s five, three or one …”

Sommers (photo left) called the Bridgeville resort and others like it “the game changers that we really need.”

Addressing those who see casinos as instruments of vice and magnets for crime, Diorio stated, “They’re going to gamble whether it’s here or whether it’s in the backyard. I believe that in the plans, there are some ways to address it if someone develops the problem. You’re probably better off with a casino because there will be more groups that are going to be able to deal with gambling issues.”

Regarding increased crime, Diorio believes that “the main reason people commit crimes is they have to eat, they have no jobs, they need everyday necessities, so maybe when we have more jobs there will be less crime.”

And jobs were indeed the focus of the afternoon. Billig, in stating that the project would lead to a rebirth of the middle class in Sullivan County said, “… we need jobs … this particular project is going to generate 4600 construction jobs, and then, after its doors are open, 8100 direct and indirect jobs. It will yield almost $430 million to the local economy.”

Steve Quaranto (photo right), President and Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers 38 and Vice President of HVBCTC pointed out that “The Stockbridge Munsees have offered to collect sales tax on everything for the county and state – everything –cigarettes, gas, hotel taxes. No other tribe has offered that to the state of New York.”

And then he returned once again to the subject of jobs. “These people (the Stockbridge Munsees) have offered the people who work in the casino the right to join the union if they want it. What that means is they’re going to make a half-way decent living, they’re going to have health and welfare coverage, they’re going to have a pension and a 401k. I don’t see any other industry coming up to Sullivan County and making that offer to the people,” said Quaranto. “This is all about jobs. Do you want people to starve up here forever? Or do you want to give them the opportunity to make a decent living?”