By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The Seneca Nation's latest request for downtown property is expected to head for a public hearing. The Seneca's issued a formal request to acquire Fulton Street. That section of land is adjacent to construction of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.
Common Council president David Franczyk says the Seneca's are asking the city to abandon the street and give the Nation so called "air rights". But with all the latest controversy and concerns surrounding the Buffalo casino, Franczyk says this request will be fully examined and discussed at length.
"That is coming before the Common Council. We are not going to just rubber stamp approve it. We are going to have a very serious public dialogue about it. The public will be invited to come in so we can see how we are going to deal with this issue," said Franczyk.
Last year, the city sold the Seneca's nine acres of downtown land in the cobblestone district. But that removed the property from city tax roles, something some citizens and business leaders have criticized. And now the latest concern swirls around the Seneca's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that says the casino will draw from the Buffalo and nearby suburbs for casino business. That is not what most leaders were expecting. But Franczyk says he never thought it would be designated as strictly a tourist casino. "Buffalo is probably not people's number one thinking as a prime tourist destination. So I never thought they were going to create something purely as a tourist estination. But I do encourage them to advertise to get more than just people locally," noted Franczyk.
But the Council president is concerned with what long-term, ill-effects a city casino could have on the adjoining neighborhoods, especially the nearby Perry Projects where poor and low income residents live.
Despite the latest casino controversy, the Common Council issued its Fiscal action plan yesterday supporting the Mayor's proposed legislation to designate Buffalo as a host community for the casino and receive 100% of the local share of revenues. That would generate between five million and seven million dollars.