FLX Politics: Pair of lawsuits related to del Lago tossed

The lawsuits have been dismissed. On Friday, news quickly spread throughout the region while most were getting ready to leave work that the courts had ruled to dismiss two major lawsuits that had been lingering against the del Lago Resort & Casino project in Seneca County.The lawsuits were being fought by members of the Oneida Indian Nation, as well as the group of Tyre residents known collectively as Casino Free Tyre. Both decisions came as State Supreme Court Judge Vincent Reilly Jr. characterized the concerns outlined by the Oneida’s were speculative in nature and could not be held up or supported in court. Casino Free Tyre had appealed a ruling earlier this spring when Yates County Judge W. Patrick Falvey dismissed a lawsuit alleging that the Town of Tyre or the developers neglected to follow proper procedure throughout the process.Steven Greenberg, speaking on behalf of the del Lago Resort & Casino told FingerLakes1.com that they were “Extremely pleased with these two court decisions.” He went on to point out that the rulings “Prove and affirm that del Lago and Tyre followed the law and did everything by the book.”Greenberg went on, explaining that “We are proud to be employing hundreds of local craftspeople as construction continues and we look forward to a February 2017 opening for del Lago. We’ve said all along that we intend to build and operate the best resort and casino in Upstate New York and serve as a gateway to the Finger Lakes Region as we increase employment, revenue and tourism for the region. These court decisions bring us another step closer to making that goal a reality.”The del Lago Resort & Casino project is a $440 million development that will provide a significant boost in sales tax revenue, as well as foot traffic to the already popular tourist destination, according to supporters. This decision deals a significant blow to opponents, who have spent the last several years fighting the location and presence of a gaming facility in Tyre.Last week, FLX Politics looked at the fast-moving upgrades that have been taking place in the area of the del Lago Resort & Casino – in terms of infrastructure upgrades on State Routes 414, 318, and 5&20. Construction in many of those locations, including the New York State Thruway Exit 41 are all imminent, or already underway.