Monique Sebastian will pursue and focus on growth as part of the company, having served for more than two decades in various entertainment companies and held numerous positions commanding the same level of responsibility. Sebastian recently held a position at Foxwoods Resort Casino where she secured performances by Alicia Keys, John Legend, Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, and many others.

Bringing Entertainment to the Heart of Seneca Gaming

She has welcomed her appointment, adding that she was delighted to now be a part of Seneca Gaming Corporation’s efforts to bring the best value-added entertainment to guests. Sebastian added:

I am eager to elevate and achieve a dynamic and diverse entertainment program that brings together A-list performers and performances with cutting-edge concepts to deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests.

Monique Sebastian

She will be tasked with artist bookings and performances for a number of properties, including the Seneca Niagara Event Center, Bear’s Den Showroom at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino and the Seneca Allegany Event Center at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino.

Sebastian will work on new experiences and events, both indoors and outdoors, to continue attracting tourists, and she will follow in a tradition that sees Seneca Gaming Corp. attract prominent celebrities who in turn drive footfall at its properties.

Seneca Gaming CMO Melissa Free was excited and happy with the news of welcoming Sebastian, adding that the newly-appointed director of entertainment has a successful track record in driving overall entertainment value for the businesses she works for. She was hailed as a creative and innovative thinker, with Free adding:

We have world-class resorts that attract world-class talent. With Monique’s energy, vision and proven experience, we are excited to maximize our offerings and to stand apart as the preeminent live entertainment destinations in our region.

Seneca Gaming CMO Melissa Free

Sebastian Embarks on an Ambitious and Challenging Job

The venues that Sebastian will be in charge of present a new challenge for her, ranging from 2,500-people entertainment settings to a more private and hush-hush 440-seat theater at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Sebastian will also have to add to a lineup of performers who already include Jay Leno, David Spade, Smokey Robinson, Gary Allan, Craig Ferguson, KISS, and many others.

Ensuring a good flow of stardom at casino properties has become synonymous with driving revenue at gaming floors as entertained customers are usually spending players, but performances also boost revenue spending and lay the groundwork for future bookings.

The post Seneca Gaming Corp. Picks Monique Sebastian as Director of Ent appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Gambling compacts have been at the core of gambling operations in some jurisdictions around the United States, with New York not any different, and the Empire State also running revenue-sharing agreements with tribal gaming establishments.

Seneca Nation to Continue Running Gambling Business Operations

The Seneca Nation in Western New York has a compact with New York through December 9, 2023, which will now be temporarily renewed as confirmed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, with the revenue-sharing agreement extended through March 31, 2024. 

This agreement allows the Seneca Nation to continue running all of its three venues in the state, to wit Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

The compact negotiation is important, because under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, federally-recognized tribes may operate Class I and Class I gaming, but Class III gaming, which features table games and gives casinos their fully-fleshed look, is subject to additional red tape.

Commpacts have proven to be a very successful negotiation tactic in many places already. Florida, for example, has been able to launch sports gambling, effectively going around the need to amend its State Constitution by establishing an agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to run sports betting out of tribal land to wield the entire online gambling industry in the state.

This was interestingly interpreted to also include online betting platforms that can be hosted on sovereign tribal land, and that have faced severe legal challenges. Yet, most of these have been dismissed with the Seminole Tribe now looking as a shoo-in.

Yet, Seneca Nation has not won a definite extension, but just bought time to continue negotiating with the state, as the governor and tribal leaders are butting heads over the tax payable by the tribe. New York has been known as one of the keenest jurisdictions to collect tax revenue from local gambling companies and business owners.

Negotiating Exclusivity in Times of Fast Market Liberalization

The compact is an important win for the tribe nevertheless, as the Seneca Nation wants to retain its exclusivity of table and slot games west of State Route 14, which guarantees it a good influx of revenue and no real competition at least in its chosen geography.

New York is also benefiting as the state claws 25% of the tribe’s gross gaming revenue, which generates a windfall of roughly $100 million for the state every year.

This rate, though, is now the subject to debate, as the Seneca Nation has cited the changing realities of new commercial casinos that are being built closer to its territories and effectively drawing business away from the tribal properties. Seneca hopes to pay a little less than its current 25% rate to remain competitive.

This is a tough sell in a state that already charges sports betting businesses with 51% on their gross gaming revenue.

Gov Hochul was also the subject of some criticism as her husband, William Hochul, was until recently working for Delaware North, a competitor to Seneca Nation’s gambling businesses, which made the governor reluctant to weigh in, recusing herself at first.

Her husband has since quit his position at Delaware North, allowing the governor to weigh in without any speculation about the fairness of her opinion.

The post NY Gov. Hochul Approves Seneca Tribal Compact Extension for Now appeared first on Keno Wizard.

New York state officials find themselves under increasing pressure to secure a new gaming compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians before the current agreement expires in less than 90 days. 

Concerns Mount Over Stalled Seneca Nation Gaming Talks

State Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio, representing the 148th District of Western New York, expressed his growing unease over the stagnant talks between the state and the Seneca Nation, reported The Olean Times Herald. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that he had not heard about any progress at all and pointed out that time was running out. Giglio’s concerns are shared by many in his district, where the tribal casinos serve as the largest employers, providing jobs for thousands of residents.

The current gaming compact, set to expire on December 9, grants the Seneca Nation exclusive rights to offer class III gaming in the state’s Western region in exchange for 25% of gambling revenues. Negotiations between the parties seemed promising earlier this year when they reached a tentative agreement in June. However, the deal fell apart after objections were raised by Rochester-area lawmakers regarding a proposed casino in the city, causing further delays and tensions between the parties.

Apart from the looming deadline, additional challenges include the need for approval from Seneca Nation citizens through a referendum vote, the US Department of the Interior‘s sign-off on the deal, and the State Legislature passing a bill authorizing the new agreement. The complexity of these requirements adds to the urgency felt by negotiators.

Seneca Nation Prioritizes Fair Compact in Urgent Talks

Seneca President Rickey Armstrong Sr. underscored the importance of the negotiations, emphasizing that their top priority was to establish a fair compact. He expressed eagerness for increased direct dialogue with the state, highlighting the immense economic impacts and advantages resulting from the discussions. Armstrong stressed that these consequences were substantial, benefiting not only the Seneca people but also their numerous employees, collaborators, and the entire Western New York region.

Assemblyman Giglio further expressed his frustration, questioning the state’s approach to the negotiations.

He wondered why more attention was not being paid to the matter and what was causing the delay. Giglio emphasized his deep disappointment, stating that the negotiations should have been concluded earlier. He is of the opinion that everyone, including the state, would face significant consequences due to the delay, describing the situation as potentially catastrophic.

As the countdown continues, all eyes are on the negotiating table, with the hope that a resolution can be reached swiftly to prevent potential economic setbacks for both the Seneca Nation and the state of New York.

The post New York State Races Against Time in Seneca Gaming Compact Negotiations appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The owner of casino properties in Salamanca, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, the Seneca Nation, is organizing community support events, urging the public to help the tribe ensure the continued operation of their three casino properties.

Organizing Public Support Events

The Seneca Nation announced it would hold community support events throughout May during which the public would have the opportunity to sign letters to state leaders, encouraging them to come to a new gaming compact with the tribe, reported local news media outlet, Olean Times Herald.

Seneca Nation’s current compact with New York State expires in December and the Nation, which has been engaged in negotiations with state officials for several months, is urging the state to speed up the process and sign a new deal before the end of the State Legislature session on June 8.

Commenting on the initiative, Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr. outlined that as the work on the state budget is near completion, “no other issue can be more important and impactful… than finishing honest negotiations on a fair and equitable compact with the Seneca Nation.”

The public initiative is set to kick off this Thursday at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino and those willing to sign support letters will have four hours between 11 am and 3 pm to do so at the resort’s hotel lobby.

The people of our region understand and appreciate what the Seneca Nation means to Western New York, and we are asking our neighbors and our guests to let New York officials know that they support us.

Rickey Armstrong Sr, President, the Seneca Nation

He further outlined that tens of thousands of individuals, families and businesses, both locally and statewide rely on the Seneca Nation’s businesses for their livelihood and prosperity, further emphasizing “the important difference” these businesses have made for the past 20 years in the lives of their employees, partners, the Seneca people, and the entire region.

Deeply Invested in the Region

The Seneca Nation has invested nearly $2 billion in its three casino properties since signing its compact in 2002 and currently, the casinos provide employment to approximately 3,000 people, making the Nation’s business entity one of the largest private employers in Western New York.

In addition, the Seneca Nation provides more than 5,000 direct jobs and spends nearly $600 million per year indirectly supporting thousands of additional jobs, delivering a total economic impact to the Western New York economy of more than $1.1 billion annually.

“We want to see our positive impact continue well into the future,” Armstrong Sr. added, adamant that “a fair and equitable gaming compact is the key driver for that to happen.”

Starting on Thursday, the support events will continue on Friday at the William Seneca Building in Irving; May 11 at the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo; May 12 at the Seneca Allegany Administration Building; and, May 18 at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca.

The public is also urged to sign an online petition that will be delivered to state officials together with the support letters at a future date.

The post The Seneca Nation Seeks Public Support for a Fair Compact appeared first on Keno Wizard.