Buffalo, NY - Mayor Byron W. Brown announced today how pleased he was that the Arbitration Panel convened to determine the distribution of Seneca Nation Gaming slot revenues ruled in favor of the State. As a result, the City of Buffalo will benefit from millions in revenue, which is a crucial component of balancing the municipal budget.
“I want to thank Governor Cuomo, our Legislative Leaders, the Western New York delegation, and the Common Council who have stood by and for the impacted communities throughout this process. I also want to thank the members of the Arbitration Panel for their tireless work in resolving this matter,” Mayor Brown said. “All of these efforts sustained my confidence that, in the end, the City would ultimately receive the revenue from the Seneca Nation that we have consistently budgeted for and relied upon. I am pleased, but not surprised, by this news, and hope that this will put to rest any further speculation regarding the City’s solid financial position.”
According to the terms of the arbitration, the Seneca Nation will report an estimate of its earnings to the State and based on that estimate, funds will be distributed according to the percentages outlined in the Compact. The budgeted estimates were based on historical data and do not necessarily reflect actual revenue resulting from the slot machine expansion the Seneca Nation undertook in the Fall of 2017.
“The decision by the arbitration panel is the right conclusion and the outcome we had hoped for from the start. The Seneca Nation Gaming slot revenue share has been a critical revenue stream for our City and we look forward to having those millions of dollars flowing to the City in the very near future,” Common Council President Darius G. Pridgen said. “I want to thank the Governor, the Mayor, the Western New York Delegation, and my Common Council colleagues for their continued efforts to have this significant revenue issue decided through binding arbitration. We look forward to working with the Seneca Nation, which is a valuable stakeholder and partner in the City of Buffalo.”
“I am confident that going forward the State, City and Seneca Nation can work together harmoniously and ensure that the communities where the Seneca Nation has a gaming presence will remain safe, vibrant and strong. I would also like to commend the Seneca Nation for entering into the arbitration process and anticipate that they will abide by the decision of the panel,” Mayor Brown said.