David A. Fortune, of Athens, Pa., pictured at the podium, drove to Binghamton, N.Y. to express his support for the expansion of Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y., and the award to them of a full gaming license during a public comment session held on Sept. 18. (Photos by Wendy Post)
On Friday, Sept. 18, community members gathered at SUNY Broome’s Baldwin Gym in Binghamton, N.Y. to offer comments to the Gaming Facility Location Board as to whether Tioga Downs, located in Nichols, N.Y., should receive a full gaming license, and to offer support.
On Friday, Sept. 18, community members gathered at SUNY Broome’s Baldwin Gym in Binghamton, N.Y. to offer comments to the Gaming Facility Location Board as to whether Tioga Downs, located in Nichols, N.Y., should receive a full gaming license, and to offer support.
Sitting, David Marsh, business manager of Laborer’s Local 785, arrived to support Tioga Downs on Sept. 18 at SUNY Broome’s Baldwin Gym in Binghamton, N.Y., and was accompanied by 20 other union members. The public comment session was to help the Gaming Facility Location Board assess the community support of an award of a full gaming license to Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y.
On Friday, Sept. 18, community members gathered at SUNY Broome’s Baldwin Gym in Binghamton, N.Y. to offer comments to the Gaming Facility Location Board (GFLB) as to whether Tioga Downs, located in Nichols, N.Y., should receive a full gaming license. The GFLB was required to hold the hearing to determine if the pending project has the community’s support; and all of the comments rendered, during the several hour session were nothing but positive with many emphasizing, as well as expressing their support for Tioga Downs.
David A. Fortune, of Athens, Pa., drove to Binghamton to express his support for the expansion of Tioga Downs, and the award of a full gaming license.
“I became interested in this, along with others,” said Fortune, and was disappointed when they [Tioga Downs] was not selected initially.”
Fortune specifically talked of Tioga Downs’ Owner, Jeff Gural, and his philanthropy.
“What Tioga Downs has is intangible,” said Fortune, adding, “It’s a quality that one hardly sees, and that’s excellence.”
Fortune specifically talked of a recent donation presented to Tioga Central School that saved several of their programs that were being threatened by lack of funding. The donation to Tioga Central School was delivered by Gural recently in the amount of $295,000.
Fortune was just one of the hundreds that arrived to support Tioga Downs. David Marsh, business manager of Laborer’s Local 785, arrived to support Tioga Downs as well, and was accompanied by 20 other union members.
Laborer’s Local 785, based out of Ithaca, N.Y., also has locations in Broome and Chemung Counties, Tioga and Cortland Counties, and several other local counties and townships.
All together, stated Marsh, their union has approximately 900 members, noting that they are ready to move once Tioga Downs is awarded the license.
“We’re ready, and we could really use this work,” said Marsh.
A benefactor to some of Tioga Downs’ philanthropy, Anita Lewis, vice president of community and donor relations for the Economic Operation Program based out of Elmira, stated that their organization has benefited from donations by Tioga Downs that have funded meal programs, specifically the snack pack program for kids during the summer months.
“Tioga Downs continues to give back to the community to help those in need,” Lewis added.
Gwen Kania, president and CEO of the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce spoke to the GFLB for approximately five minutes, expressing her complete support for a full gaming license at Tioga Downs.
Kania went a bit further and spoke of all the businesses that Tioga Downs has partnered with to include Harford Glen Water, and the newly opened Redneck Boot Shop and Western Wear in Owego, N.Y. where John Rich, from Big and Rich who performed recently at Tioga Downs, now carries his new line of boots.
“These partnerships are leading to credibility and respect,” said Kania.
Kania added, “Please give Tioga Downs the nod for this final license.”
“I think these guys get it,” Gural stated to members of the media following the comment session. “And I think we’re in good shape.”
The next step in the process, according to Kevin Law, chairman of New York State’s Gaming Commission, will be a meeting between the board and Gural’s financial and legal team. This meeting, according to the Gaming Commission, is set to take place on Sept. 30 in New York City.
Although a decision will not be made at this meeting, the board expects they will announce their decision later this fall.
