Written by Peter G. Clifford

Apr. 1, 2014:  In a transformative change to the new Kensington Road development, a casino is now being incorporated into the plans. The story about how this came to be and why it was necessary is a tale of anthropology, archaeology, and an obscure provision in the laws governing New York State gaming.

On the stone wall at the corner of Pondfield and Valley Roads there is a plaque that commemorates the deeding over of land that now constitutes Eastchester from Chief Gramatan of the Mohican tribe to the colonists in 1666. Three hundred and forty-eight years later, the presence of that tribe in Bronxville has come back to play a major role in bringing a major casino to a small Westchester village.

It is widely reported that the site of the Kensington Road project is environmentally compromised because of its former use as a gas station and power plant in the 1900s, but little was known about its history in prior centuries. Earlier this year, an environmental consultant hired by the developer Fareri Associates took soil samples at various depths and discovered high levels of calcium, something not usually found in the geological strata of Bronxville.

Seeking an explanation for this, the firm undertook more extensive excavations and discovered what appeared to be the remains of burial sites. Experts from the anthropology department at Sarah Lawrence College were called in, and they confirmed, based on analysis of bones and other artifacts such as shards of pottery, that the site was originally a Native American burial ground. As required by law, the experts immediately reported the find to the appropriate official at the Department of the Interior, which regulates the disposition of Native American remains, according to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of November 16, 1990.

Fareri Associates made clear that they fully intended to comply with all federal and state regulations related to the site, but they were also concerned that a prolonged review process and deliberations over the proper disposition of the remains and artifacts would have a severe impact on the start date and economics of the project. Their lawyers immediately contacted the law firm that represents the present interests of the remaining Mohican tribe members in upper New York State.

That firm, citing precedent in the case of Verona vs. Turning Stone Casino, pointed out that in situations where a commercial project is to be constructed on land discovered to be a recognized Native American burial site, the developer can enter into an arrangement with the tribe whereby the tribe assumes responsibility for the preservation and disposition of the remains in exchange for being granted the right to open a casino on the property. The casino will be jointly managed by the tribe and Fareri Associates.

Many of the artifacts such as pottery, arrowheads, and beadwork will be displayed in a museum incorporated into the casino. The development will still include the planned residential units, but the addition of the casino will make it even less likely that families will purchase units, an added benefit.   

When asked about the impact, Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin commented, "Obviously this is a major win for the village. First of all, we renegotiated the contract with the developers, and, as a result, the village will receive 1% of all profits, which we estimate conservatively at $20 million per year. This will allow us to cut real estate taxes by half, which will take a major burden off of all our residents. Second, a large chunk of the money will be allocated to The Bronxville School, which will allow the teaching of Mandarin from kindergarten through 12th grade. This will not only give our students a highly marketable skill in today's global economy, but it will also greatly improve their chances of being accepted by the top Chinese universities, which, as we all know, are quickly overtaking Harvard, Princeton, and Yale as far as academic excellence. And, finally, this windfall will allow us to remove all parking meters from the village and offer free parking, doing away with the annoyance of issuing millions of parking tickets. The traffic control personnel will be reassigned to focus on ticketing residents who do not properly curb their dogs, a major hygiene and aesthetics issue in the village."

Susan Miele, executive director of the Bronxville Chamber of Commerce, was also enthusiastic about the casino. "It will significantly increase foot traffic, which will be a huge boon to our merchants. We have already had interest from a pawnshop in Yonkers about opening a branch in Bronxville to service casino patrons who need to raise some quick cash."

How do village residents feel about having ready access to games of chance in their neighborhood? Marcia Lee from MyhometownBronxville commented, "Ever since Buddy Hacket and Phyllis Diller stopped performing in Atlantic City, there has been no reason for my husband and me to make the long trip down the coast. What fun to be able to hit the slots at the spur of the moment!" Sarah Thornton-Clifford, publisher of MyhometownBronxville, chimed in, "Taking those buses down to Atlantic City really made me and my husband nervous because they always seemed to be flipping over on the turnpike. Now we can spend a safe and grand evening with friends at the roulette table right next door!"

Christ Church is situated right across the street from the future development, and the construction will have a severe impact on the church. However, Reverend Michael Bird does see a benefit to the church from the addition of a casino. "Christ Church as a rule does not condone gambling as a lifestyle choice, though many of our parishioners do work on Wall Street. Be that as it may, Christ Church will welcome anyone who is seeking solace after a night of adversity at the craps tables. In the event of good fortune, we would equally welcome a contribution to our collection box, which we will use to underwrite the cost of a weekly Gamblers Anonymous meeting."

One concern that has been raised is whether the casino might attract a less desirable element of society to Bronxville that is known to cater to casino patrons in places like Atlantic City. When asked about the possibility of creating a specialized vice squad to deal with such unsavory activities, Police Chief Christopher Satriale responded, "I'm sure with the extra funds in my budget, we can create at least a 10-man squad. That should do the trick. My team of officers will be taking an intensive course for a month this summer at the Times Square precinct to learn, as they say, the tricks of the trade."

On the other hand, Bronxville will finally be going strong at 2:00 am.

Happy April Fool's Day!

Pictured here:  Painting in the board room in Bronxville Village Hall.

Photo by A. Warner