Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced an agreement between the state and the St. Regis Mohawk tribe to resolve a three-year dispute over gaming issues.
Under the agreement, the state will remove the eight-county Saint Regis Mohawk exclusivity zone from the proposed casino-siting legislation. The tribe will also pay the state $30 million in payments owed and 25 percent of future gaming revenues.
The agreement also initiates discussions between New York, the tribe, and local governments to resolve unrelated land-claim disputes.
Under the revenue-sharing provision, the St. Regis Mohawk tribe will make an immediate payment of about $30 million from the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino to resolve past revenue-sharing payments. Of that $30 million payment, 25 percent will be divided between St. Lawrence and Franklin counties.
The portion allocated for the counties also provides $3.75 million to each county, which includes payments to the affected towns in each county, according to the governor’s office.
In addition, the tribe will resume making on-going revenue-sharing payments, according to the regular schedule as defined in the compact amounting to 25 percent of net-gaming revenue.
New York state will divide 25 percent of its share between St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, according to the governor’s office.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com