Seneca Nation Drops Rail Terminal Plan

BUFFALO, New York – As reported by the Buffalo News: "The Seneca Nation of Indians is no longer interested in making a downtown rail terminal part of its Buffalo casino development.

"Seneca President Barry E. Snyder Sr. has sent a letter to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority notifying the agency that the Seneca Nation is ending negotiations to buy the 89-year-old former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad complex at the foot of Main Street near HSBC Arena.

"The Senecas, who broke ground Dec. 9 at a nine-acre site along Michigan Avenue, two blocks from the DL&W terminal, had continued to consider the upper floor of the waterfront building for an extension of its gambling operation.

"NFTA Executive Director Lawrence M. Meckler said that although Seneca representatives met with NFTA executives after the groundbreaking and continued to exchange documents within the last month, the deal was not coming together.

"…The NFTA executive said a key obstacle was relocating the building's electrical systems, which are on the upper floor…"