Joel Rose & VOICE Buffalo deserve strong praise for untiringly fighting the next 'economic storm' threatening to hit an impoverished city.
Dick Kern (in Mpls)
COPY http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20061027/1035713.asp
Critics speak out on Fulton Street sale, Attorney warns casino will still be built
By JANICE L. HABUDA, News Staff Reporter 10/27/2006
COPY http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20061027/1035713.asp
The proposed sale of a two-block section of Fulton Street for a downtown casino was overwhelmingly opposed Thursday by speakers at a public hearing in Buffalo City Hall.
Whether the city should accept $631,000 from Seneca Gaming Corp. for the street became almost secondary, after Council President David A. Franczyk invited those in the large crowd to weigh in on the project in general.
"You are free . . . and encouraged to speak to any aspect of the casino project," he said. In response, many of them aired myriad complaints, then concluded their remarks by urging the Council to vote "no."
Six of nine lawmakers would have to approve the street sale. A vote could occur as early as Tuesday.
More than 90 minutes into the hearing, the number of supporters could be counted on one hand.
Michael Powers, a Buffalo attorney, has been credited with brokering the deal between the city and Senecas for the $125 million casino.
"Whether you like it or not, the casino is going to be built there," Powers said. The sale of Fulton Street will determine whether an "A-plus" casino will be built or a "C-minus" casino, he said.
Fulton Street runs through the middle of the almost nine-acre Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino site. Including it would increase the casino's size and amenities, gaming corporation officials have said.
Besides the sale of Fulton Street, the agreement on which the Council must vote also includes the creation of 1,000 jobs and an investment by the Senecas of $5 million to $7 million for infrastructure improvements in the Cobblestone District.
"If we do not sell Fulton Street to the Senecas, there will be no agreement," Powers said. "There will be a casino but there will be no agreement that contains those assurances."
Mark Kirsch, business manager of Local 17, Operating Engineers, asked the Council to approve the sale.
"Why? Jobs," he said. "Good-paying construction jobs will be created."
Opponents Thursday included clergy and members of organized groups against gambling or the casino. If the construction of a casino is inevitable, many said they would rather see the smaller version built.
Steven H. Siegel, a professor at Niagara University's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said he wanted to "demolish" the economic claims made by the Senecas.
Citing data from the corporation's filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, Siegel said that while the Senecas rake in millions and millions in gambling revenue, their two existing casinos gave away almost $54 million in food, beverage, lodging and retail sales during a nine-month period ending June 30.
"The hotels can't compete. The restaurants can't compete," Siegel said.
Robert Heffern, co-chairman of Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County, said: "Let's tell the truth: This is not economic development."
"Any casino in Buffalo will cost more jobs than it will create. This has been studied up to the eyeballs," said Joel Rose, co-chairman of the same organization.
e-mail: jhabuda@buffnews.com
shouldnt this thread be titled "speakers at a public hearing in Buffalo City Hall overwhelmingly oppose casino " I am not really hard for or against the casino but yout title seems misleading to me. I think the polls show city resident support the casin by a slim margin.
People who wonder if the glass is half empty or full miss the point. The glass is refillable.
http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20061028/1058006.asp
Another Voice: City officials ignore facts about casino gambling
By ROBERT J. SCHULMAN
10/28/2006
Two days after the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling Regional Conference occurred here, I saw Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder, Mayor Byron Brown and Seneca Gaming Corp. officials on public access TV replaying the Fulton Street sale approval announcement and predicting "development, waterfront connectedness, millions of tourists" and other such misleading sound bites.
This offensive and private press staging did not present any opposing views or facts. No public input was offered or allowed. There was no citizen representation. This came as a result of surreptitious, behind-closed-door sham "negotiations" over the last two months that overlooked fact, economic research and obvious outcome in other communities.
By contrast, the educational, open NCALG conference provided solid economic analysis by experts and research founded on realities. It has been clearly shown that urban casinos cause harm far in excess of any help to the city. Again, look at Detroit, Niagara Falls, New York, Louisiana, Turning Stone or the big casinos in Connecticut - all true losers for these communities.
Please understand that there is real human tragedy for individuals and families being created in these "entertainment" palaces. Adult gamblers are modeling the risk of future misery for their children. Buffalo Creek (which will hopefully never open) in legal documents wrote its stated intention is to bring in the local population, but now claims "in writing" that it cares about promoting itself to the region.
The Senecas and Brown have no data, no facts and no proof to support the future benefit to Buffalo. The first year's $125 million will go to the building trades - Brown's allies - and yearly thereafter $150 million or more will leave the economy and bring in a zero-development Niagara-Falls type scene, good only for the Senecas and gambling industry supporters.
For every dollar generated, $3 will be lost and $12 million to $16 million in taxes will belong to the sovereign nation, not the city. Five million dollars for the city from the slot cut is 50 percent less than revenue from parking enforcement as projected in the 2006-07 budget.
Is anyone in City Hall doing the math or checking the facts? Not one city official came to the gambling conference. The National Gambling Impact Study Commission stated that as the money is lost faster, the socioeconomic negatives increase dramatically. Its final report confirmed that the gambling industry had created new addicted gamblers, new bankruptcies and new crime and corruption. The 1999 U.S. Gambling Commission unanimously called for a moratorium on the expansion of U.S. gambling. Sadly, however, it has grown into a monster.
Anyone with sense can see the harm coming to Buffalo. Jobs will be lost, restaurants closed, families devastated, bankruptcies and crime increased. The casino is a strategy for injustice, not economic development.
Robert J. Schulman, M.D., lives in Buffalo.
its not the casino I dont like it is the Seneca casino i hate. if we have to have one let our area get the benefit not some group who demands to be separated from the rest of us. if they want to be a separate group then they should be separated out away from the rest of us. we have enough people who try to segregate them selves (when whites do it it is illegal) if a group wants to be its own nation then let them pay their own way in their own place not a place they stold in the first place.
One good thing about growing old is your secrets are safe with your friends they can't remember them either
Actually I discount polls completely. I think the better barometer is how public hearings go because those who are adament about their position pro or con will show and those who show are more likley to go and vote. As I have written before we need a vote on this issue http://www.speakupwny.com/article_2840.shtmlOriginally Posted by steven
I attended and spoke out against the approval of the sale, not because I oppose the casino (which I do) but rather the agreement is not comprehensive nor is it binding and it does not make the bad deal Pataki made an iota better.
Of those that spoke in favor (a whopping 3 to 5) only one was a citizen and even in his comments they were luke warm and he even had more questions that he wanted answered before he could give an unqualified endorsement of it.
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
You did not say this,....did you? "Stole"? The natives stole the land?
(I agree w/everything else)
I believe he intended to say "sold."
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Citizens for Better Buffalo has posted on their website their observations on this worthless agreement:
http://betterbuffalo.com/more.html#observations
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson
If I read this correct, the city will surround a sovereign nation. With this being the case, is it possible for the city to hold hostage the casino after it is built by not providing water, power or sewer access? It is my assumption that the casino will tap into the existing water and sewer lines and power grid.
Fast fwd 5 years....
The Seneca nation is not being a good neighbor for whatever reason. The city then decided to create a "National Export Tax" on it's water, sewer and power services. This tax would be an astronomical number in the millions. Just to have access every year. On top of that the "export tax" would make the cost of water, sewer and power 50 times the cost to a property in the city. Is this possible?
Furthermore, would it be possible for the city to have "construction projects" year round on the streets surrounding the casino or make it virtually impossible to access?
I am just thinking that if the Senecas play hardball in a couple of years, we would have some good options to screw them over. Am I correct?
Make a park completely around the casino. No roads just bike paths. I would.. OH tell the state to screw them selves. There's no reason they should get one penny of the casino proceeds at all.
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In short: No.
Even so, I think it is a good idea. Rather funny...
I could care less about the casino. In fact I kind of like the idea. I used to drive by that grain elevator everyday and it was an eyesore.They did us a favor by taking it down. I'll be in favor of them building anything they want if they agree to tear the rest of them down. All they are is a reminder of lost jobs. They served their purpose, now get rid of them.
Tying objections against the casino to the value of Fulton street is a joke. Years ago five cars a day used that block because it was the fastest way from Michigan Ave to the Fulmar tavern. When the bar closed the traffic dropped to one or two cars a week, usually out of towners who made a wrong turn.
The city closes streets all the time and turns them over to private companies. No one objected when they gave the section of Alabama street, from exchange to Seneca, to Graphic controls, for example.
I also noticed I didn't see any EPA monitors on Broadway when they tore down Buffalo Forge, a much bigger demo project than what the Senecas did, Nor were they on Niagara street when the tore that grain elevator down.
Whats going on now is out and out harassment of the Senecas project.Most people I know are in favor of the casino, particularly those in the Old First Ward, where it is actually being built.
All those do gooders that want to impede the Senecas should crawl back North to their side of the 190 and leave the South Side of town alone. Nobody gave a damn about what went on down here for at least forty years. All of a sudden, when things start to develop everybody has something to say.
Besides, am I to beleive that building a nicer casino (because they are building one no matter what) is going to destroy the economy of Buffalo? A little late, aren't we? If some one has an idea to use that property to put a business that will employ a few hundred people at thirty or forty grand a year , plus benies, than I can see the objection. But I don't think that's the case.
Bottom line is, the people who live around there want it. They want the Indians to have Fulton street. They are adults, they don't need any body else to do their thinking for them,
So bugger off.
"If you want to know what God thinks of money just look at the people he gave it to."
By the way, what happened to biker? I miss the old coot.
DTW,
You are still paddling the mighty Niagara... You are the only person I know that could go completely vertical and still not hit the bottom of the Falls.
I said that a long about imposing export tax for said utilities to the Indian owned lands..... They want more and cause all kinds of grief then so be it. I will show them grief,
I could see the Native American point of view on what happened hundreds of years ago but for gosh sakes we have more then made up for that mistake. We give the Native Americans far much more opportunities today then if they were left alone to fend for themseves. Free Schooling, Job opportunities, tax free living,... I mean come on..... The pendulem is swinging to far the other way now. Two wrongs do not make a right.
Nope the gavel needs to hit the gavel block hard.
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