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U.S. Supreme Court refuses casino case
Ottaway News Service
November 29, 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday let stand a state court ruling that Indian casinos are legal in New York.

The top court's decision not to hear the case ends a four-year battle by anti-gambling groups challenging the 2001 state law, which authorized up to three Indian-owned casinos in the Catskills.

"I'm afraid we have to run up the proverbial white flag," said Neil Murray, the lawyer representing groups opposed to gambling. "The Supreme Court's refusal to hear this case effectively concludes this aspect of the war against the spread of commercialized gambling in this state."

The decision lets stand a state Court of Appeals ruling in May that federal law allowing Indian-owned casinos in the state supersedes the state's constitutional ban on commercialized, Las Vegas-like gambling.

A spokesman for Gov. George Pataki said "we're very pleased with the Supreme Court's decision."

A variety of federal and state approvals are still required before any tribe can break ground on a new Catskills casino.

Lee Karr, a Sullivan County resident and lead plaintiff in the court case, said he and other gambling opponents will look for other legal ways to block casinos in the Catskills.

"We will never surrender," he said.