The Cayuga Nation has reopened its Class II gaming facility in Seneca Falls, New York, according to a local report by the Finger Lakes Times. The nation held a celebration to commemorate the site’s reopening.
The project has been on hold for the last decade, according to the local report. The new facility sits on the former site of the LakeSide Trading convenience store and gas station. The old building was demolished in February 2020 at the request of Nation leader Clint Halftown.
Prior to its closing and demolition, the store and gas station also served as the original space for the Seneca Falls Class II gaming site. It operated there for several years before it shut down and was moved to another location, according to the Finger Lakes Times report.
Halftown said in an official statement regarding the recent opening: “In addition to our various other enterprises, gaming has long been a way that we can provide critical resources for the community at large and the citizens of the Cayuga Nation.
“We are excited to add this new gaming facility in addition to our existing casino in Union Springs and look forward to welcoming residents in the coming days.”
According to regulations by the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Agency, a Class II gaming operation does not require any agreements with the state and consists of both non-bankable card and bingo games.
Guidelines also stipulate that any revenue generated by the facility must be used for the tribe’s benefit.
The Cayuga Nation is a federally recognized tribe that resides in New York State. Tribal members are descended from the Haudenosaunee, or "The People of the Longhouse."
