Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural was able to get some face time with Global Gaming Business … which is more than he’s been able to do with New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), much to Gural’s chagrin. He’s chafing at the uneven playing field whereby the Empire State’s tribal casinos are back to business as usual but his and other private-sector ones remain closed. “We’ve been unable to convince the governor that it’s actually safe. We don’t disagree with the governor’s concern about not having a spike in opening things up, but as you know, we have not seen that elsewhere—including in New York City,” Gural told GGB. “[Cuomo] has full control over what we’re doing, and no control over the Indian casinos. I’m fully convinced we’re safer, but haven’t been able to convince the governor, who has gotten the numbers down. It’s problematical.” Promising strict safety protocols, should he be allowed to reopen, Gural added, “It seems hard to say it makes any sense when Vernon Downs is closed and [tribal] Turning Stone, which is five miles away, is open.”
