Delaware North SVP and General Counsel Bill Hochul will resign from the company on August 15, according to a local Spectrum News 1 report. Hochul is the husband of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Because of her husband’s role with Delaware North, several “potential conflicts of interest” have been created for the New York Governor.
During the last few years, Delaware North has received criticism for its role as a concessions contractor for the Buffalo Bills. According to the local report, the state gave “hundreds of millions” in public funds toward the construction of a new stadium.
The company and the Seneca Nation have been direct gaming competitors as well, another potential conflict of interest because of ongoing negotiations between the Tribe and the Hochul administration.
However, Governor Hochul stated that those issues are “in no way connected” to her husband’s choice to leave Delaware North.
She recently told local news, "Seven years is a long time post your other career when you could have retired after 30 years, so it's time to spend more time with my husband.”
Prior to taking his position with Delaware North, Bill Hochul was the US Attorney for New York's Western District.
Despite slowed forward movement from state lawmakers regarding compact renewal, the Hochul administration and the Seneca Nation have formed an “agreement in principle,” which allows the Nation to build a casino in Rochester. Plans for the Monroe County casino were kept from both the public and from lawmakers.
However, rumors of the project have circulated during the past couple of weeks, according to the local report. State legislators confirmed that top officials were already aware that talks regarding a new casino were underway.
