Today, Turning Stone's legal battle with the New York State legal system resulted in a win for the casino. This should end the long legal battle about whether or not Turning Stone will be allowed to operate in New York State.
The Turning Stone legal battle has been going on for over a decade, and they have continued to operate. Let's review the history of Turning Stone. In 1993, the Oneida Nation decided they wanted a casino somewhere between Niagara Falls and Atlantic City. They repurchased land that they claimed previously belonged to the Nation, and then asked for sovereignty, as many casinos have in the past.
All would be fine and dandy, except a federal law passed in 1988 made it illegal for Native Americans to repurchase lands and ask for sovereignty, to prevent exactly this kind of abuse. Nevertheless, the Oneida Nation purchased the land for Turning Stone in 1992, and began operating the casino.
Vernon Downs, just down the road from Turning Stone, operates as a legally licensed lottery and horse race track. I have never been there, but I believe they have slot machines as well. Vernon Downs pays 54% of its income in taxes to New York State. Turning Stone pays none.
Today, the ruling came down that Turning Stone operates legally, and the land on which it purchased and built the casino in 1992 is reservation land. The Attorney General won't have the authority to close the doors of Turning Stone any time soon!
