Shinnecocks to vote in casino agreement

Sharply divided members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation are expected to vote Thursday on agreements that will determine whether the tribe moves forward with its financial partner and developer, Gateway Casino Resorts.

The vote has wide implications for the Southampton tribe, which won federal recognition last year with Gateway's financial backing. At issue now is whether the agreement to develop casinos on Long Island and beyond are overly generous to Gateway, as some tribal members maintain, and whether tribal autonomy and sovereignty is fully protected as the Shinnecock and Gateway move to open casinos, opponents say.

"There are strong emotions on both sides of the issue," Shinnecock trustees said in a letter to tribal members Tuesday, announcing the vote. "The only way to bring peace back to the Nation is to bring the question to the people and allow a vote of the eligible voting membership to proceed."

Factions of the tribe have lined up against the two agreements, which enable the tribal gaming authority to approve the Gateway contract and stipulate "noninterference" in tribal initiatives with Gateway.

Detroit-based Gateway, which is owned by Marion Ilitch of Little Caesars Pizza fame and Indian casino developer Michael Malik, has been funding Shinnecock efforts at federal recognition and casino developments since 2004.

The proposed term agreement makes Gateway the tribe's exclusive developer and manager of class III casinos in New York, and makes it the tribe's exclusive partner for casinos in Connecticut, New Jersey or Rhode Island. It says the tribe must seek third-party financing for casino development projects, and repay Gateway development costs.

Among the objections of some tribal members in emails shown to Newsday, is Gateway's 28 percent take of monthly net casino revenue, concerns that the noninterference pact would deny rights for individuals in tribal matters, and concerns that there are limited stipulations to pursue additional tribal land for housing and economic development outside of gaming. The agreement says Gateway will assist the tribe in pursuing acquisition of land at Stony Brook Southampton College.

In their letter, Shinnecock tribal trustees noted recent meetings about the contract terms and related agreements had "ended in discord," and called the issue "emotionally charged."

Tribal trustee chairman Randy King Tuesday said those with opposing views "are not reflective of the entire tribe."

"There are forces out there who would like to see the tribe come apart at the finish line," he said. "We're much stronger than that. We will get through this."

Tom Shields, a spokesman for Gateway, declined to comment.