Long Island's Town of Southampton Gambling on Court Decision

At odds are the Shinnecock Indian nation and several state agencies joined by the Town of Southampton. The focus of their fight, now in federal court is a 79 acre parcel of land in Hampton Bays known as Westwood. Although there is no question the Shinnecock tribe inhabited the land, at issue is whether or not they sold it in the 1600s to pay a fine for allegedly burning settlers' homes.

The greater battle, however, is over the proposed use of the land if the Shinnecocks win. The lawsuit is an attempt to block the construction of a casino on the site. For more information, read Newsday's article.