As a Western New Yorker, Governor Hochul knows and has seen this first hand. 'Our gaming operations have created significant investments, economic impact and thousands of jobs. This agreement marks a new chapter in the relationship between our governments,' Pagels said.

'Most important, this Nation and New York State have agreed to begin good faith discussions on a compact within the next 60 days. Kathy Hochul is different from that with former Gov. He suggested the settlement came about because the Nation's relationship with Gov. Pagels said the flow of cash from the three casinos has let the Nation build the future of enrolled Senecas, look ahead into the future and put the Nation on a more equal footing with Albany. Rather than pursue continued legal action, we believe it's in the best interests of the Seneca Nation to address those important concerns through negotiation of a compact that will provide clarity on our obligations and, equally as important, the obligations New York State has to the Seneca Nation, in return,' he said. 'For four years, we have vigorously raised many compact concerns in multiple legal challenges. In this Seneca election year, Pagels told his nation and the Nation Council it's time to pay the money and move on. That compact lets the Nation's gaming operations continue to have 3,000 employees.

Nation President Matthew Pagels said the quarterly payments will resume under the terms of the original compact which expires at the end of next year. There is money and jobs at stake: the nation gets $40 million in disputed fees and perhaps $450 million will come to the state from the years of litigation over the Nation cutting off cash flow to Albany - and, in turn, Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca. The tangled relationship between New York State and the Seneca Nation took another turn Wednesday, when the two sides said they will finish out the current compact for the nation's three casinos and bargain a new one.

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