The Oneida Indian Nation is prepared to give way to the Cayuga Nation in order for the latter to build a casino in Cayuga County, despite the Oneidas’ casino monopoly covering that region.
The announcement was made by the Oneidas, who told a federal court of its intention to stand aside and let the Cayugas do what they want on their land. In so doing, this promise could finally put an end to all the tension that has built up between the state of New York and numerous Indian tribes regarding the government’s expanded casino plans.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo struck separate deals with state tribes earlier this year, paving the way for the approval of the state’s expanded casino referendum last month. But even with the significant steps taken by Cuomo’s deals with the Oneida, Seneca, and St. Regis Mohawk tribes, one other Indian tribe, the Cayuga Nation still had objections to the state’s plans for adding more casinos in New York.
The biggest source of objection for the Cayugas involved details the state negotiated with the Oneidas back in May, one that called for the tribe to share its casino revenue with New York in exchange for a casino monopoly covering an area spanning 10-counties. But the area of land negotiated by the two sides includes Cayuga County, where two-thirds of the Cayuga Nation lives. As far as the Cayugas are concerned, the Oneidas can’t have authority and exclusive casino rights in an area that belongs to another tribe.
The Oneidas saw the contention filed by the Cayugas and did the right thing; in so doing, it nipped another potential land squabble in the bud. Court papers filed late last week by the Oneidas indicated the tribe “forever waives its rights to enforce” its casino rights in Cayuga County in the event the Cayuga Nation receives federal and state approval to open a casino.
For their part, the Cayugas have asked federal judge Lawrence Kahn to give them until December 20 to respond to the papers filed by the Oneidas just to be sure that everything’s on the up-and-up. But for the most part, it looks like the Cayuga Nation got what it wanted.
