WASHINGTON – The head of the US Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs has accepted Congressman Maurice Hinchey’s invitation to come to Sullivan County in the coming weeks and tour potential off-reservation gaming sites.

A specific date for an August visit with Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry EchoHawk has yet to be worked out.

EchoHawk has agreed to come to Sullivan to see firsthand how off-reservation gaming could benefit the local economy and help revive tourism and the hospitality industry, said Hinchey.

Sullivan County Partnership President Timothy McCausland said the visit is an important step.

“We are going to put our best foot forward and make sure that all the issues are addressed to Mr. EchoHawk so that we can make it abundantly clear to him that we have been ready, willing and able to host one or more facilities for a long time now, and we are more than capable and the community is in full support of it,” he said.

“Casino gaming in Sullivan County could provide a real shot in the arm to the area’s economy by creating thousands of new jobs, including construction jobs and permanent positions at the facilities,” said Hinchey.

Local, state and federal officials are hoping to persuade Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to approve the off-reservation gaming, which was rejected during the Bush Administration by then Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.