Orange casino discussed in Port Jervis

Annie Peterson
Posted 8/21/12

Port Jervis, NY — After the Town of Tuxedo council released a statement expressing its support for a proposed casino in Tuxedo in Orange County, one Port Jervis resident took issue, speaking at the …

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Orange casino discussed in Port Jervis

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Port Jervis, NY — After the Town of Tuxedo council released a statement expressing its support for a proposed casino in Tuxedo in Orange County, one Port Jervis resident took issue, speaking at the July 14 meeting during the public comment period.

Peter Tomasi said, “The town released this statement. They supported the casino bid for Tuxedo, Orange County, the most southern part of the county before you come to Rockland County. Casinos were against the law forever in New York, only recently changed last fall due to the economic conditions that are so desperate. A lot of the state is like that—it’s very hard to support industry when there are great distances between population centers, so this really was a desperate move for the people in the state. It’s a best case scenario for a poor situation.”

Tomasi continued, “The most profitable place for a casino to operate is Tuxedo because it’s that much closer to New York City, which is the target market. So there are millions of people with money in their pocket in the city. They can go 45 minutes north of the city to Tuxedo and spend it in the county, and of course there would be taxes derived from that, millions and millions the casinos are offering, $48 million for the opportunity to locate a casino there. That’s the root of it, and the reason the city wanted some of that tax money that’s going to go to the county.”

“But the history of New York is, that’s not the way communities should be raising money, promoting gambling, cheap cigarettes, whatever; it’s a Catch-22 for Sullivan and Ulster counties north of here. It’s a desperate last choice situation to put one up there—and I understand that and I support that... We would derive some benefit from people traveling north through here. People might stop here for tea, to use the river, to stop to buy a home. They won’t come by train, because they don’t take the train to go to Woodbury Commons, which is right next to them. They take the bus or they drive.

“Regardless of whether the casino is built in Tuxedo or in Sullivan County, Port Jervis will see benefits of the increased traffic,” Tomasi concluded. “So why take any position at all? It undermines it, in my opinion. I’m a commuter to the city, so I can see people aren’t riding the trains to anywhere,” he added, referring to the press release that mentioned the possibility of people taking the train to Tuxedo.

Tomasi also pled for no increases in taxes, saying, “Low taxes is a benefit for people here, it’s a reason why people live here. Houses are cheap. Why raise the taxes at all? That being said, the city does some wonderful things, the recreation program is terrific. I completely agree with the mayor; the recreation program is wonderful, and the police department is doing a good job although it’s hard pressed.”

The council released a press release on June 24, saying, “The City of Port Jervis’ Common Council passed a resolution in support of Genting Americas’ (RW Orange County LLC) bid to secure a Gaming Facility License in the Town of Tuxedo.”

Mayor Kelly B. Decker said, partly in response to Tomasi’s questions, “Genting’s commitment to hire locally from some of Orange County’s most disadvantaged

areas, the Tuxedo site’s vantage point to the Metro North Port Jervis Rail Line, as well as the tax revenue that they would bring to the county and ultimately every municipality, is unmatched. The council believes that the Sterling Forest Resort would also complement, not compete against, a Sullivan County casino site, which the council also believes would be of benefit to the region.”

Councilmember Stanley Siegel said, “I don’t know if it’s going to happen in Orange County, but if there was a casino in Orange County, there would be an opportunity where some of our residents could take a short ride in a train, go to work in Tuxedo, and come home. It certainly was meant for Sullivan County, and hopefully, they’ll be smart enough to put it in Sullivan County, and we supported it as well. It will be more difficult for people to work there, but they could do that as well. I’m sure the others feel the same as well.”

Decker explained that the increased opportunity for employment that a casino in Tuxedo would provide for Port Jervis residents who most need it was a major reason for the town’s resolution. He acknowledged the benefits could be similar even if the casino is built in Sullivan County.

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