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Developer Ignites Slot Machine Brouhaha in Niagara Falls

Why should an Indian tribe be the only group of people authorized to operate slot machines in the bustling tourist destination of Niagara Falls, New York? That’s what Frank Parlato wants to know. The developer has triggered a storm of controversy with his allegations that state gaming laws are racist. Parlato wants to open a slots parlor in Niagara Falls, the town named for the world famous waterfall that spans the United States and Canada. In fact, Parlato says that he is GOING to open up his own casino… regardless of whether the gaming board approves the notion.

Parlato is fed up with the idea that the Seneca should be granted the exclusive right to operate slots or other forms of casino gaming, just on the basis of “ethnicity.” But rights to slot machines aren’t the only thing that has Parlato irate at the Seneca. The tribe, he argues, is also allowed to build without sticking strictly to state building codes, something that non-Indians are not permitted. The developer has actually built up a lot of public support for his cause, mostly from folks who think it unfair that the tribe does not have to pay taxes on their casino income, which runs into multiple millions of dollars.

Because the state will not approve his casino, Parlato says that he is going to move forward with setting up slots in his building, which was formerly the Occidental Chemical Center. He aired his grievances at a public hearing in front of the site, and espoused the belief that “everyone should be on an equal playing field.” Parlato did not say when he planned to open his casino. Niagara Falls city officials declined to comment on the matter.

Back to September 2008 Archive.