Empire Resorts Signals Abandonment of Mohawk Casino Project

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Finds Empire to be in Breach of Development Agreements

AKWESASNE, N.Y., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Empire Resorts, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's Sullivan County casino development partner has notified the Tribe of its intention to abandon the Mohawk's Catskills casino project at Monticello Raceway.

The Tribe received a letter from Empire on February 5, 2008 informing the Tribe of their intentions to "shut down" their Monticello Development office and to immediately cease funding of necessary pre-development expenses associated with the Mohawk project. Empire has previously communicated its intent to enter into a joint venture with a competing gaming interest to move the raceway and VLT operations to a different location a few miles from the existing Monticello Racetrack.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council has determined that Empire's notice constitutes an express breach of its gaming agreements with the Tribe and is committed to aggressively pursuing any and all appropriate legal remedies to protect the interests of the Tribe.

Public Information Office

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

Tel: (518) 358-2272 ext. 286