Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino
“The result of vision, dedication and a willingness to invest”

In the words of our new mayor, Bryon Brown, “The City of Buffalo is on its way back”, with a new aspiration and a profitable future (Fink, 2008). Currently we have about 4.5 billion dollars worth of projects scheduled or under construction in the City but there remains one project that is considered the largest project for the City of Buffalo. That project being the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, which is being built in our Cobblestone District.
The Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino project which is slated to be completed by the summer of 2010 has all the entertainment and fun value that is needed to attract a crowd of tourist and income for the growth of the City of Buffalo.

Project Development
The Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is one of the third casinos placed in the Upstate New York Region created by the Seneca Gaming Corporation. The Seneca Gaming Corporation is said to be “one of the country's premier Native American casino operators” (Lycos, 2008). The Corporation was established in 2002 to open three casinos in the NY region which was the “Seneca Niagara Casino” and the sole purpose of the group is to oversee the “developing, constructing, leasing, operating, managing, maintaining, promoting, and financing” of all the Seneca Nation gaming offices (Seneca, 2008).

Project Design
The current design for the casino and hotel are being handled by the SOSH Architects of New York City, NY and Atlantic City, NJ. SOSH Architects which is named after the 4 partners who run the firm: Thomas J. Sykes, Thomas J. O’Connor, William R, Salverno, and Nory Hazaveh. They have been in the design business for over 25 years and have created many wonderful buildings for the Atlantic City Region and throughout the United States. In 2007, the firm was contacted by the Seneca Gaming Corporation to design a facility that will display the rich heritage and history of the Indians as well as incorporate the history of the City of Buffalo as well. From those instructions they designed a facility that stands out and can not be missed for miles to come.

Project Schedule – October 2005: Seneca’s acquired 9-acre of land and unveiled new plans for future casino – July 2007: Temporary Casino opened – February 2008: The construction for the casino begins with installing sheet piling around the perimeter of the casino and hotel site. – April 2008: The excavating of the foundation laying and the driving pile for steel structure of the hotel & casino will be done. – May 2008: (Mid-May) Foundation is poured (8 to 10 wks) – August 2008: Steel Structure for Tower is erected – October 2008-March 2010 -Hotel & Casino Construction (No future Detailed Plans available)

Specifications
The 90,000 square foot facility and 22-story all suite hotel will be a great asset to the downtown Buffalo-Cobblestone District Area. With its glass, slender-frame, bow shaped design that outlooks the Lake Erie and its marquis facade, zinc, glass and stone that aligned the casino walls, the layout of this project will give the atmosphere of luxury at an affordable rate. The casino will house 2000 slot machines and 45 table games with a 3 acre parking lot and an additional 2500 vehicle parking garage. The 4-Star hotel suites range in size from about 550 sq ft to 2000 sq ft and houses 4 restaurants and a full-service luxurious spa and salon to pamper you.

Cost
With the regulation that the Seneca Nation had to build a casino and open it by December of 2007, they create a temporary casino with 135 slot machines and a snack bar. The total cost to build that facility cost the Seneca’s about 6 million dollars. This temporary casino will be used until the permanent facility is completed in 2010. With a total cost of 333 million, the casino is the largest and most invested project for Buffalo right now. The 333 million dollar project includes 125 million in parking ramp for 2500 vehicles and a lot for additional parking, and an extra 208 million for the construction of the Hotel and Casino.

Project Stakeholders
The stakeholders that will benefit the most form the casino is that of the City and County. This project is slated to bring in 7 million annual revenue for Erie County and City Hall. The agreement between the City & County and the Seneca Nations is that the State and Host Community gets 20% of the revenue annually. Since the first casino opened in 2002 the state of New York and various municipalities has gathered a total of $352.4 million. Just in the past year of the opening of the temporary casino in July of 2007 the City and County earned $704,000 of the 12.8 million in gross revenue.
Other stakeholders who have a part in the Casino’s development is that of the community, with over 1,000 jobs available once the construction is completed. The “total payroll of approximately $38 million “will be deposited back in the community by the employees (Projectbuffalo, 2008).

Risks & Constraints
When you turn on the news station these days it is most likely that you will hear a new report of the happenings between the City of Buffalo, Anti-Gaming Groups, and the Seneca Nation of Indians. These three forces have been battling since the idea of placing a casino in the downtown cobblestone district was first introduced.
With any organization that sets up shop here in the city or any place there will always be those that opposed the decision that you have made to enter into their territory. This is just the case with the project taking place downtown now. There are forces that oppose the casino and say that gambling in the city is illegal and that the temporary casino should close. Although the federal government has agreed with these forces and the two are battling the casino still remains strong and the project keeps on going through all the risks and opposition that are before them the Seneca Buffalo Creek Project continues to grow with no current constraints to hinder them.

References

Buscarino, E. (14 July 2008). Seneca’s and the State See Eye to Eye. Retrieved on July 23, 2008 from http://www.buffalorising.com/story/senecas_and_the_state_see_eye

Fink, J. (2008, February 21). Brown: Buffalo is on the way back. Buffalo Business First. Retrieved on July 23, 2008 from http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/02/18/daily38.html

Lycos, Inc. (2008).Global Payments Announces Cash Access Agreement With Seneca Gaming Corporation. Retrieved on July 25, 2008 from http://www.lycos.com/info/seneca--seneca-gaming-corporation.html

Marketwire. (2007, October 9).SOSH Architects Designs Seneca Nation's New, $333-Million Buffalo Creek Casino & Hotel Complex. Retrieved on July 8, 2008 from http://www.sys-con.com/read/441029.htm

Newberg, R. (23 July, 2008) Justice Department asks Judge William Skretny to amend casino ruling. Retrieved on July 24, 2006 frrom http://www.wivb.com/Global/story.asp?S=8619187&nav=0Rae

Project Buffalo. (23 November 2007). Buffalo Creek Casino. Retrieved on July 24, 2006 from http://projectbuffalo.com/

SGC.(2008). SENECA GAMING CORPORATION. Retrieved on July 25, 2006 from http://www.senecagamingcorporation.com/overview.cfm