The Seneca Nation says it is not backing down in what it calls its right to develop land which obtained sovereign, restricted-fee status through the federal government in 2023. Seneca leaders say this dispute with the City of Buffalo is about much more than a gas station.
"It comes down to our land and the Seneca Nation's ability to do with its land what it sees best fit for its people."
President JC Seneca said the nation will continue its work to build a gas station on Miami and Ohio Streets, and has no plans to respond to the city of Buffalo’s cease-and-desist letter. He said despite a meeting with Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan, dialog has shifted to a different direction.
"If you want to get the hair up on the neck of a Seneca, try to talk about taxation and land, and if you try to do any of those two things? Try to take our land, or you try to put taxes on us? You're going to get a fight, and that's what we're doing," he said.
But Ryan is questioning the Senecas rights to build on the land as an open legal question.
“Not unlike other disputes, owners assert they have a right you know to do things with or without the city's input, and if you reach a disagreement on this, then you avail yourself to an outside person or perhaps a court of law," the mayor said the previous day.
Seneca said the nation followed all proper procedures with the Department of Interior from 2022-2023 to gain a restricted fee designation with the federal government. They even received a letter from the city’s own tax department confirming the parcel’s change to non-taxable Native land.
"We went through the correct process with that," the president said. "It was put in restricted fee back in 2023, and so for him not to be able to know that, or be able for his staff at City Hall to find that those answers, it's very concerning for me."
Several nearby business owners have voiced concerns with the gas station project, saying it doesn’t fit the area or would cause traffic issues.
Peg Overdorf is director of the adjacent River Fest Park, a large greenspace operated by a non-profit. She still has some concerns with construction, but believes the Senecas have been an asset to the business community since the Buffalo Creek Casino opened and deserve support.
"The Senecas have been nothing but good to me since I started on this endeavor way back in 2007, I think it was," Overdorf said during an appearance with the nation. "The park was finished in 2011, but since that time, of course, I don't want a gas station because you got me spoiled. I had a parking lot right across the street for 100 cars, so now we're trying to reinvent ourselves."
Seneca officials say they will still offer a few dozen parking spots at the gas station for Tewksbury events.
In addition to defending what they believe are their rights to develop land, Seneca Nation leaders also presented renderings and more details about the future gas station. They plan for 24 fueling positions and a 9,200 square-feet building which will house a convenience store, cannabis dispensary and to-be-determined fast food restaurant.
There will be two diesel pumps, and semi-trucks will not be allowed to overnight park; at odds with the claim that the site would be a truck stop.
The plan is to keep the current Seneca One Stop station on Perry Street as well, but transition it to an unstaffed, fully self-serve operation.
"If anybody has ever tried to get in there [Perry St. location] and get gas, you realize that it's gridlock, it's congestion. If it's a weekend, don't even bother," said Kerry John, a project lead from the Senecas. "We're trying to ease that congestion because one of the big things is a lot of people in this First Ward neighborhood need to get gas. They probably prefer to buy the cheaper gas that we offer."
Following Thursday’s media event, President Seneca and dozens of nation members rallied in front of city hall. Alongside a march, he presented a proclamation renaming Niagara Square and is asking the Buffalo Common Council to adopt it in a move of solidarity.
"It's going to be called Seneca Circle. Yeah, how about that?," Seneca said to a group of supporters. "Donald Trump can do it, I can do it. This is Seneca land right here, Seneca territory."
The mayor’s office declined to respond to the latest statements made by President Seneca or documentation provided by the Seneca Nation.
