East Greenbush

The town's handling of a resolution to back a local casino project brought good-government and anti-casino activists together to form Save East Greenbush.

The result has been a consistent campaign to stop the $300 million Capital View Casino and Resort proposed for Thompson Hill Road.

"The process was really flawed at the beginning. We got taken. It made us very, very angry," said Don Johnson.

The Town Board's vote in April, he said, galvanized him, Dwight Jenkins and Jack Conway, who had worked together on reviewing the town's spending habits, to stand against the casino.

Johnson said his trio linked up with Cara Benson, Elizabeth Wade and Joanne Rector, who were opposed to the casino project.

Benson, a poet who was involved in the Occupy Albany activist movement, said she saw Jenkins' Facebook page opposing the casino and received the mailer at home from the casino developers. She said the Rensselaer County Legislature's May meeting brought East Greenbush casino opponents together for the first time when they spoke against casino development. That's where people like Tina Tierney stood up to speak and became involved.

As Save East Greenbush organized, initially meeting locations were typical for suburban activists — held in a member's living room.

But that soon changed.

"All sorts of new people showed up and organized their own neighborhoods. We had to have meetings at the library," Benson said.

Now supporters of Save East Greenbush turn out regularly for town meetings, including about 80 to 90 at the recent Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

"It is really the townspeople doing it. People are coming up and asking how they can help," Benson said.

While small anti-casino groups have arisen in Schenectady's Stockade neighborhood and other parts of the state, Save East Greenbush has appeared to be the largest effort to halt local casino development.

Save East Greenbush has hired an attorney, filed one lawsuit and is considering a second lawsuit. It has benefited from Johnson's knowledge of government and the state Freedom of Information Law, enabling it to obtain notes on town meetings regarding the casino project.

Save East Greenbush members' reading of the casino developer's application has led to Councilwoman Sue Mangold recusing herself. And the group has worked with Councilwoman Mary Ann Matters, who now opposes the project.

They've also rented a billboard, employed social media, turned to traditional media outlets to propel their message, held educational forums and collected more than 3,000 signatures on petitions.

"We pass the hat," Benson and Johnson each said in separate interviews about how their group pays for its endeavors. Save East Greenbush also advertises for donations and puts out a jug at events to collect money.

When the casino developers presented their proposals to the state Gaming Commission, Save East Greenbush submitted its own binder of information in opposition.

Capital View Casino and Resort has worked to build support. It has opened an office; mailed fliers to residents; worked to obtain local government support; pledged involvement in the community; won support from the business community; and run its own advertising campaign. A spokesman for the casino project did not respond to a request for comment.

Save East Greenbush is waiting for the state to decide which of four applicants in East Greenbush, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie County will receive a license to open a casino in the Capital Region.

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