A county official from Long Island has accused the president of Stony Brook University of conspiring with a competing bidder to prevent the Sands casino proposal from being approved. The official claims that the university president has a conflict of interest and has been using his influence to undermine the Sands project, which would bring economic benefits and jobs to the region.
The Sands Casino Proposal
The Sands casino proposal is one of the six bids that have been submitted for the development of a casino resort on Long Island, as part of the New York State Gaming Commission’s plan to expand gaming in the state. The Sands proposal, which is backed by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the world’s largest casino operator, would involve building a $1.5 billion casino resort on a 62-acre site in Yaphank, near the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The resort would include a 600-room hotel, a convention center, a spa, a golf course, and a 250,000-square-foot casino with 2,000 slot machines and 160 table games. The Sands proposal also promises to create 2,500 permanent jobs and 3,000 construction jobs, as well as generate $400 million in annual tax revenue for the state and the local governments.
The Alleged Conspiracy
However, the Sands proposal faces strong opposition from some local residents and environmental groups, who are concerned about the potential impacts of the casino resort on the traffic, water quality, and wildlife of the area. Among the opponents is the president of Stony Brook University, Dr. Maurie McInnis, who has been vocal in expressing his disapproval of the Sands project. Dr. McInnis, who took office in July 2020, has argued that the casino resort would pose a threat to the scientific research and education that take place at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the university, which are both located near the proposed site. He has also claimed that the casino resort would harm the quality of life and the character of the community.
However, according to Steve Bellone, the Suffolk County Executive, Dr. McInnis has a hidden agenda behind his opposition to the Sands proposal. Bellone has accused Dr. McInnis of conspiring with a competing bidder, the Shinnecock Indian Nation, which has submitted a bid to build a casino resort on a 100-acre site in Hampton Bays, about 30 miles east of Yaphank. Bellone alleges that Dr. McInnis has a personal and financial relationship with the Shinnecock tribe, and that he has been using his position and influence to sabotage the Sands proposal and favor the Shinnecock bid. Bellone has also claimed that Dr. McInnis has been spreading false and misleading information about the Sands project, and that he has been lobbying the state gaming commission and the governor to reject the Sands bid and approve the Shinnecock bid.
The Evidence and the Response
Bellone has presented several pieces of evidence to support his allegations against Dr. McInnis. He has pointed out that Dr. McInnis is a former professor and dean at the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked closely with the Native American and Indigenous Studies program, which has ties to the Shinnecock tribe. He has also revealed that Dr. McInnis has received a $500,000 donation from the Shinnecock tribe for his inauguration ceremony, and that he has hired several former employees of the tribe as his advisors and consultants. Bellone has also cited a leaked email from Dr. McInnis to the Shinnecock tribal leader, in which he expressed his support for the Shinnecock bid and his intention to block the Sands bid.
Dr. McInnis has denied the accusations and has defended his actions. He has stated that he has no conflict of interest and that he has no personal or financial ties to the Shinnecock tribe. He has also stated that he has not received any donation from the tribe and that he has not hired any former employees of the tribe. He has also stated that the email that Bellone cited was fabricated and that he has never communicated with the Shinnecock tribal leader. He has maintained that his opposition to the Sands proposal is based on his professional judgment and his concern for the welfare of the university and the community.
The Implications and the Outcome
The allegations and the counter-allegations have sparked a heated debate and a legal battle over the fate of the Sands casino proposal and the Shinnecock casino proposal. The Sands Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Dr. McInnis and the Shinnecock tribe, alleging that they have engaged in a fraudulent and illegal scheme to interfere with the Sands bid and to secure the Shinnecock bid. The Sands Corporation has also requested the state gaming commission and the governor to investigate the matter and to disqualify the Shinnecock bid. The Shinnecock tribe has filed a countersuit against the Sands Corporation, alleging that it has engaged in a malicious and defamatory campaign to discredit the Shinnecock bid and to influence the state gaming commission and the governor. The Shinnecock tribe has also requested the state gaming commission and the governor to investigate the matter and to approve the Shinnecock bid.
The state gaming commission and the governor have not yet made a decision on the six bids that have been submitted for the Long Island casino resort. The commission and the governor are expected to announce their decision by the end of January 2024. The decision will have significant implications for the economic development and the environmental protection of the region, as well as for the reputation and the credibility of the parties involved.
