Lago Resort & Casino, one of the three casinos backed by the New York Gaming Facility Location Board last December, is currently facing a major hurdle. Rochester-based developer Thomas Wilmot said in a Monday statement that construction on the casino site had been suspended following an appellate court ruling from Friday.
Earlier this year, a group of Tyre residents, where the $425-million gambling venue is to be located, claimed that town officials had violated an important state environmental law and had concluded that the resort would not harm local environment without providing a comprehensive written explanation.
The matter was brought to court and last week, the Fourth Judicial Department of the Rochester Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that the so-called Environmental Quality Review Act was indeed breached.
On Monday, Mr. Wilmot, who owns Rochester-headquartered real estate developer Wilmorite Inc., the company behind the Lago Resort & Casino project, said in a statement that “continued construction” on the property would be suspended until the matter is resolved.
He also pointed out that it is now up to the Tyre Town Board to “correct the technical deficiencies” that resulted in the court ruling. The construction will resume once all issues are resolved and the site plan is once again approved by Tyre officials. Mr. Wilmot promised that construction workers will make sure that the site will be properly preserved in compliance with both local and state requirements.
The businessman noted that he feels “disappointed on behalf of the people of Tyre” who need the jobs that the construction of the gambling venue has created and the ones that will be created, once it is completed and fully operational.
Mr. Wilmot further commented that the current situation is not likely to impact the New York State Gaming Commission’s decision to grant Lago Resort & Casino one of the three casino licenses. According to the regulatory body’s timetable, the licenses are to be awarded sometime this fall.
Despite his frustration with the delay, the executive commented that the issue would be resolved soon and the construction of the multimillion-dollar property will be back on track.
As previously reported, Lago Resort & Casino is one of the three casino projects that were approved for gaming licenses, with the other two being Montreign Resort Casino in Thompson and Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady. A bid for yet another potential gambling facility in the Southern Tier region was reopened in March. Last week, it became clear that Tioga Downs Casino & Racing in Nichols is the lone competitor for this fourth casino license.
