Last month the Seneca County Board of Supervisors voted 11-3 to approve a resolution that asked New York State to ‘fast track’ the opening of del Lago Resort & Casino.
Similar facilities run by various Native American groups in New York have been open for more than a month. Addressing that issue, Governor Cuomo said at a press conference that the Indian Nation’s in New York do not have to comply with state rule.
del Lago officials say they have a plan for reopening. A letter was sent to state officials by the supervisors. “[Del Lago] has indicated a willingness and commitment to implement any and all recommended safety protocol, plans and guidelines upon permission for reopening,” the resolution said.
It goes on to note that given the losses that are coming Seneca County’s way – the revenue derrived from del Lago is needed more than ever.
“We respectfully ask the state to fast track the reopening of del Lago Resort & Casino. There are many inequities in the upstate casino industry. Del Lago contributes significantly to the Seneca County and New York State economies and we believe the casino can still thrive if the state allows it to reopen,” the letter concludes.
Earlier this week, del Lago said that it would be issuing retraining notices to currently furloughed workers. It’s unclear at this point how much of the company’s workforce would return – even if the casino opened. The expectation is that if they reopened at 50% capacity, they’d have a difficult time keeping the facility at full-, pre-COVID staffing levels, which would be a blow to Seneca County’s economy.
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