Thursday, June 16, 2005 | 9:45 a.m.
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- Shinnecock Indian tribal leaders, hoping to build a casino at the gateway to the high-rolling Hamptons, filed a multibillion-dollar land claim lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday, targeting 3,600 acres of some of the priciest real estate in the country.
In papers filed at U.S. District Court, the Shinnecocks claimed ownership of property including the Shinnecock Hills Golf Course -- where three U.S. Opens have been played -- as well as the National Golf Links of America and Long Island University's Southampton College.
The neighborhood also features palatial estates that often sell for tens of millions of dollars.
The Shinnecocks asked for monetary damages based on today's fair market value of the land, adding that the assessed value of real estate in the land claim was $1.71 billion last year. In addition, 150 years of past rent and interest was sought -- a multibillion-dollar claim, although no figure was cited.
archive
