The Shinnecock Casino Controversy
The Shinnecock casino controversy is a battle between two ideologies—“To keep the Hamptons the Hamptons” and “A step towards economic empowerment.” On one hand, you have the native Indian tribe of Shinnecock seeking to alleviate itself from poverty by setting up the casino. On the other hand, the Hamptons Neighbourhood Group strongly feels the area needs to remain low-key.
The reason why this story is catching headlines is because of two major things. First, it’s the Hamptons! Everyone knows the Hamptons. A place where the rich and influential have built their palatial summer homes for their vacays and want some peace of mind as they count their money. Secondly, it’s the history of the Shinnecock community. They have always been on a quest to empower themselves, and this isn’t their first rodeo.
Bryan Polite, the tribe’s chairman, said, “The story of the Shinnecocks is one of struggle and perseverance, and that’s what’s happening right now.” To take you back a little, the state of New York once gave casinos the chance to apply for licenses, and Shinnecock’s proposal failed, which they think was intentional. Instead, Jake’s 58 Casino got that opportunity and set up their casino in 2017 and started raking in big.
So when the news came out that the state of New York will issue three new licenses in 2023 for full-scale casino operations, your guess is as good as mine. The Shinnecocks want a piece of the cake. They aren’t letting this chance pass them by again and are hell-bent on making it work.
The community lives on a 900-acre piece of land and has close to 800 members living on site. The median income per household is $30,000, which is less than a third of the average income of households surrounding Suffolk County. Their income streams include the annual Labour Day Pow wow festival, selling cigarettes, and controversial electronic billboards along Sunrise Highway.
You can think of the casino as their winning ticket to better living standards. Polite also said, “The casino’s revenue would help economic development and welfare on the reservation by funding social programs, and improvements such as creating jobs and assisting family needs.”
What exactly do the Shinnecocks have planned? Well, they intend to have a 76,000 square-foot casino as early as 2023. So far, the casino has won approval from the National Indian Gaming Commission to open a Class 2 gaming facility. The games they are allowed to offer include bingo, slots, and a few poker selections.
Through the Biden administration’s stimulus package, the tribe expects an economic relief of up to $6 million which will greatly chip in. Once all goes well, their partners, Tri-State, who worked with the Seminole Tribe on Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, will kick off operations.
And what do the locals have to say about everything? James Wacht, a property owner in the neighborhood, said, “We understand their attempt for economic development, but it’s not the right location.”
When asked about the plan, Southampton’s Town Supervisor, Jay Schneiderman, said that many residents aren’t for the idea of the casino and that they have considered moving away if the casino comes to life. He added that he couldn’t think of a worse location to set up the casino.
Some locals feel the casino will bring issues sd traffic, noise pollution, crime, and disturbances. Others think that the casino is targeting the wrong market and should consider relocation.
However, Alan Woinski, a gambling analyst, says, “I think the locals have it all wrong and that the casino will probably yield revenue. It’s the Hamptons, and also, there are no other casinos there so that people will go.”
What makes the situation dicier is that Shinnecock’s land is sovereign, meaning it’s free from government regulations such as zoning laws. To try and reach a consensus, the tribal leaders and neighborhood group have started holding discussions on the best way forward, which mainly inclines to find a new location that will benefit the tribe.
Since many things are pretty unknown, such as, will the groups ever get to an agreement? Or, will the state of New York give the casino a license? In the meantime, Americans continue to rely on trustworthy online casinos to not miss out on the action.
Author Bio
Hi! I’m Bryan, and I’m a passionate & expert writer with more than five years of experience. I have written about various topics such as product descriptions, travel, cryptocurrencies, and online gaming in my writing journey. The latter is one of my favorite topics, and you can find some of my premium casino content at OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.com.
