The Seneca Indian Tribe, whose aboriginal lands are located in Western New York, are starting the new year off with a bang, having unveiled their permanent Las Vegas proportioned Seneca Allegany Casino. The $160 million project is not quite finished just yet, though. In addition to the casino, the site will offer a 212-room hotel with all the amenities and perks a Las Vegas resort would offer

The Seneca Nation of Indians is one out of six tribes making up the Iroquois League, otherwise known as the Five Nations (although there are technically six tribes - the last of which was the Tuscarora tribe, who left North Carolina after being occupied by the British). The other four tribes include the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida and Onondaga. All in all, there are approximately 10,000 Seneca living in Western New York.

Salamanca, which is home to the Allegany Casino, is the only U.S. city owned by an Indian Nation. Located immediately off Exit 21 in Salmanaca, the casino is in close proximity to local residents. With the addition of the hotel, the Seneca Gaming Corporation is hoping that visitors will spend more time playing in the casino, as well as visiting many of the tourist attractions that are available in Cattaraugus County.

The 212-room hotel will feature a spa and three distinct restaurants sitting atop the casino lobby on the second floor. Seneca Gaming Corporation spokesperson, Phil Pantano says all of the rooms will be of "deluxe" quality, with fourteen of them being corner suites and sixteen designed as penthouse suites. It is planned for completion by the end of March, 2007. Pantano gave a tour of the impressive gaming floor to local news media earlier this week.