{"id":80382,"date":"2020-07-26T07:21:20","date_gmt":"2020-07-26T11:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=80382"},"modified":"2020-07-27T07:06:27","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T11:06:27","slug":"local-officials-rally-around-tioga-downs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2020\/07\/26\/local-officials-rally-around-tioga-downs\/","title":{"rendered":"Local officials rally around Tioga Downs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On Friday, lawmakers and officials from around the region gathered on the P.J. Clarke\u2019s patio at Tioga Downs Casino and Resort to show their support and to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to re-open Tioga Downs. The casino in the Towns of Nichols remains closed, even though they have submitted plans and made major investments for a safe reopening.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOur plans not only meet, but they exceed things,\u201d said Tioga Downs General Manager Charlie Otto.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe have the best plan in place as far as safety,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Local<\/a>

Charlie Otto, general manager at Tioga Downs Casino and Resort, located in Nichols, N.Y., addresses local officials and the media during a conference held Friday to rally support for Jeff Gural, owner, and to call on the governor to bring the conversation to the table. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/p><\/div>\n

This isn\u2019t owner Jeff Gural\u2019s first challenge he\u2019s faced from the state. When Albany selected Southern Tier casinos for approval back in 2014, they initially chose a location in Tyre, New York, an area not normally classified as the Southern Tier. Eventually, and after a two-year battle, Gural was awarded a casino license in 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Since that time, Tioga Downs has employed thousands and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to agencies serving those in need throughout the region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Now, officials are rallying around Tioga Downs once again and pushing the governor to make a decision on casinos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe fought as a community,\u201d said New York State Sen. Fred Akshar (R-52), who attended Friday\u2019s press conference, adding, \u201cToday is about continuing that fight here in the Southern Tier.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Akshar also praised Tioga County Legislature Chairwoman Martha Sauerbrey, for her leadership in the effort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Owner Jeff Gural has expressed that residents in New York are going elsewhere to gamble when they could be enjoying going out near home. And the officials that gathered on Friday agreed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Deb Howard, representative to state Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R-124), spoke briefly on Friday, stating that Tioga Downs generates more than $30 million into the economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s time to reopen Tioga Downs and get its employees back to work,\u201d said Howard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jason Garnar, Broome County executive, talked of the financial impact the facility\u2019s closure is having on Broome County as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe have many Broome County residents that work at Tioga Downs,\u201d said Garnar, adding, \u201cThey are a huge job creator and they give back to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Garner stated that Broome County also receives an approximate $1.5 million kick back from Tioga Downs each year, dollars that have helped him to balance his budget.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIf we can keep Walmart open, we can open Tioga Downs,\u201d Garnar added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Members from the workers\u2019 union at Tioga Downs also spoke and commended the governor for containing the virus. \u201cHowever,\u201d they continued, \u201cwe are asking the governor to now bring casinos to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Local<\/a>

Pictured, from left, Legislators Loretta Sullivan, Dale Weston, and Dennis Mullen attend a special meeting of Tioga County\u2019s Legislature to throw their support behind a county resolution urging New York\u2019s governor to re-open Tioga Downs. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/p><\/div>\n

Friday\u2019s meeting followed a resolution approved by the Tioga County Legislature Thursday that is calling on Cuomo to support the Southern Tier by re-opening Tioga Downs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Last week the casino and resort was listed in New York State\u2019s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) database as being slated for closure and the layoff of personnel at both its Nichols casino and its racino in Vernon, New York if things couldn\u2019t be re-opened.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe are aware the governor is busy, but we need our Tioga Downs open,\u201d said Sauerbrey, when she opened the resolution for a vote on Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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She noted that Tioga Downs provides over 600 jobs in Nichols and over 900 total with its sister facility Vernon Downs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIf we\u2019re doing so good in New York state, people need something to do,\u201d said Legislator Loretta Sullivan during Thursday\u2019s meeting, adding, \u201cPeople from around the state can travel here to the casino and stay local.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Legislator Dennis Mullen stated on Thursday, \u201cTioga Downs provides tens of millions for all counties, and hundreds of jobs. We need them open.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe has done so much for this community,\u201d added Legislator Sullivan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Friday, lawmakers and officials from around the region gathered on the P.J. 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