“It is extremely doubtful that they reached any real, substantive conclusions. Once again, they dismissed the facts, ignored independent sources and did not even speak to us about our development plans in order to make a fair comparison,” said Fred Bess, President of the Shinnecock Nation Gaming Authority.

For example, the University of Connecticut spent over a decade researching Indian gaming in Connecticut. Stanley McMillen, a University of Connecticut researcher, sent the attached letter to the Nation and a local newspaper which states, “unlike commercial gaming establishments (Atlantic City, Las Vegas), the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) requires Native American tribes to contribute economically to the region in which they are located before they extract earnings for themselves.” The University of Connecticut study found that Indian gaming benefits the community and has broken the cycle of poverty for thousands of Indians.

“We had hoped that Assemblyman Thiele and Supervisor Heaney would reach out to third-party experts like the University of Connecticut, instead of just meeting with people who we all know will not provide a balanced assessment,” Mr. Bess stated. In addition, Assemblyman Thiele and Supervisor Heaney were urged to meet with the Mashantucket Pequots who manage the most successful Indian gaming facility in the Country.

“If they did not meet with the Mashantucket Pequots, than we must question the motives of the trip,” said Mr. Bess.

For more information about Shinnecock self- reliance and the planned gaming facility, please visit www.shinnecocknation.com.