SRMT: Ganienkeh not target of gaming decision

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe said they are not trying to interfere with the Ganienkeh Territory’s alleged gaming operations despite announcing last month that they would no longer be sharing revenue from the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino with New York State as a result of additional gaming in the region.

The tribe’s 2004 gaming compact contains a requirement that the state protect Akwesasne’s gaming advantage in the north country by ensuring no other establishments be allowed to operate slot machines.

When the tribe informed the community of their decision to withhold multi-million dollar payments to the state they did not specify where the violation was occurring. However, they have since then named the Mohawk territory of Ganienkeh in Clinton County near Plattsburgh as the site in question, leading community members to criticize the tribe for interfering with another territory’s rights.

“They just want to live in peace,” said a community member of Ganienkeh. “They’re self-sufficient. They don’t rely on outside funds.”

Community members warned the tribe that people could be hurt or killed if New York State decides to raid Ganienkeh, and “we’re the spark that caused it.”

Another community member said the tribe “committed an act of treason to make us fight our own.”

However, the tribe said that their decision has little to do with Ganienkeh and is specifically an issue between the state and tribe.

“This wasn’t done to pick on anyone,” said Tribal Chief Mark Garrow. “If Ganienkeh decides to have slot machines so be it. It really has little to do with Ganienkeh. What we think is right or wrong doesn’t matter . We have an agreement with the state…New York State has violated that agreement.”

New York State would like to disagree, however. In a Lake George meeting between New York and the tribe, state officials disagreed that they’ve violated the compact. They told tribal officials that the compact only requires that they do not permit additional gaming in the region and since they have not licensed Ganienkeh or entered into any agreement with the territory, they don’t believe the compact has been violated.

“We reached an impasse,” said Chief Garrow of the meeting.

The next step is to go to arbitration, Tribal Council said. The Sept. 30 due date for the 3rd quarter payment has already passed and that payment was withheld from the state.

Counties in the North Country also receive a share of gaming revenue from the state’s share. The tribe has considered making revenue sharing payments directly to the counties if a sound reason for doing so is established.