By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – The legal fight to halt a casino in downtown Buffalo gaining momentum. Erie County Executive Joel Giambra says the county has signed on as a plaintiff in the lawsuits filed by the Citizens for a Better Buffalo.
Giambra Wednesday jumped on the bandwagon of those who believe a Buffalo casino is a bad idea -- at least, he says, at the site proposed.
"This talk of an urban, European casino was code for a poor people's casino. A casino that would prey on people who live in this community," said Giambra.
At one time Giambra was an advocate of a waterfront casino. But he says that was before the planned casino was relocated in the city's poorest neighborhoods. And the Seneca named local residents as the target customers. Still, the group that initially filed the lawsuits says a casino doesn't belong anywhere in the city. Lead attorney in the case, Joe Finnerty, says that position won't change if the Senecas decide to shift the plan elsewhere.
"The bottomline - and the environmental impact, etc. statements will demonstrate it - a casino just is not, and never will be, an appropriate development for the city of Buffalo," Finnerty said.
That sentiment is now shared by Sabres owner Tom Golisano. He went on record this week opposing the casino. And Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says he has some new concerns, based on the SEC filing. The Senecas are also looking for $6 million of infrastructure work by the city. Phil Pantano is spokesman for the Seneca Gaming Corporation. He says they don't have an agreement yet.
"Well, there's still a number of questions regarding the casino, in terms of what we'll be able to create," said Pantano. "We've had some discussions with the city regarding infrastructure and some other things."
The city is named as a defendant in the pending state lawsuit. Motions are expected to be filed later this month in the federal action.