Bridgeville casino probably DOA

The Times Herald-Record and the New York Times broke the news this week that the federal government almost certainly won't approve ex-governor David Paterson's plan to build a massive casino in Sullivan County.

Both papers obtained a leaked letter from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans -- the tribe that wants to build the casino in Bridgeville -- acknowledging that federal officials aren't keen on the plan. From the NYT:

[I]n January, according to the tribe, federal officials suddenly expressed misgivings about the viability of the tribe’s land claim and the ability of the Interior Department to approve it without Congressional action, as the tribe wanted. In a Jan. 31 letter to the department, a lawyer for the tribe acknowledged that department officials had told him it was “highly unlikely” the officials would change their views.

The THR had a story about ominous rumblings from the feds earlier this week, but this letter puts the cold hard facts in writing. Yesterday, news outlets across the country were reporting the plan was stillborn -- here's a report from the AP, and another from the Casino Journal.

Only die-hard supporters, like town of Thompson Supervisor Anthony Cellini, have any hope left for the Stockbridge-Munsee's Bridgeville plan. And according to a story in the Daily Freeman yesterday, even Cellini can't muster anything better than a morbid metaphor for the its prospects now:

Town of Thompson Supervisor Anthony Cellini, who favors the casino, still has hope for the project. “I’m sure the coffin is closed, but the nail’s not in it yet,” he said.

Earlier: More of our Bridgeville casino coverage.