LIBERTY, NY — The Foxwoods/Muss Development team is just one of 12 different groups or organizations that have shelled out $1 million each for a chance at getting one of possibly two casino licenses that may be awarded in the Catskills/Hudson Valley region.

Seven of the projects are proposed to be located in Orange County, four in Sullivan and one in Ulster.

Foxwoods/Muss opened an office in the ShopRite Plaza in Liberty on April 23 and pledged a concerted effort at obtaining one of the much coveted licenses. The officials on hand at an event marking the opening suggested that Sullivan County was more deserving of a casino than Orange County because that’s what was intended by the legislation that allowed for the opening of the gaming operations.

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther said to the crowd, “Governor Cuomo looks at us so favorably, he came to Sullivan County to announce the passage of the legislation… the intent of the legislation was to bring it to an economically depressed area, and that’s what Sullivan County is. So we’re all going to work together to make sure that this happens for Sullivan County.”

Charlie Barbuti, supervisor of the Town of Liberty, echoed that in his remarks, and urged the people in the crowd to take action. He said, “Write a letter, sign a petition, let the [site selection committee] know that we’re going to hold their feet to the fire. They said this is to help upstate New York development; it’s for upstate job creation. And that’s what we are, we’re upstate. Like Aileen said, nobody has more economic need than we do, and that’s what it was designed for.”

County chairman Scott Samuelson said the Sullivan County projects are uniquely positioned to gain a casino because the county and the projects are such a good fit with the requirements spelled out in the legislation and the request for applications. He said, “We really can’t lose; we really need to get behind all of our developers and support them, and move them forward.”