An anti-gambling press conference was held in Rock Hill Thursday by Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill. Hayes and a delegation of state and local elected leaders spoke against what they referred to as the Catawbas attempt to reintroduce video poker in South Carolina. Video poker was banned statewide in July 2000.

Blue's letters were prepared prior to the press conference, said Catawba spokesman Jason Snyder.

"This is an attempt to let the people of York County and Santee know what the tribe is really trying to do," Snyder said. "This is not an attempt to try to pressure anyone."

In the advertisement to York County residents that will appear in The Herald, Blue writes, "The 1993 agreement was intended to ensure our operations were the best game in the state. ... Then the State of South Carolina breached its agreement with the Catawba Indian Nation when it began the South Carolina Education Lottery."

In the letter to appear in The (Orangeburg) Times and Democrat, Blue writes, "With all of this talk about lawsuits and video poker, we worry that some of you may wonder if the Catawba Indian Nation has abandoned its plans in Santee. Nothing could be further from the truth."

The Catawba chief sent a letter to Gov. Mark Sanford dated Nov. 25 in which he requested a meeting to discuss the governor's position on tribal efforts to open a bingo hall near Santee. As of Friday, the governor had not responded, Snyder said.

The Catawbas an-nounced plans in August to open a Class II bingo operation along Inter-state 95 in Orangeburg County. However, San-ford opposes the tribe's request, which would allow for a 24-hour bingo operation, seven days a week. Class II also allows for high-stakes bingo with larger jackpots. The category stops short of allowing full-fledged casino status.

Under the 1993 federal and local settlement that ended a long-standing land dispute, the Catawbas were recognized by the United States as a limited sovereign Indian nation and were permitted to open two bingo halls. According to the agreement, one of those operations had to be located within the tribe's original 144,000-acre land. The Cherry Road bingo hall opened in 1997.

In the letter to Orangeburg County residents, Blue addresses the media attention given to the possibility of developing a gaming operation in Rock Hill similar to the one operated by the Cherokee tribe in North Carolina.

"That proposal is not a bluff nor a political ploy. We are serious about pursuing that facility if we continue to be unable to persuade the Governor to support our efforts in Orangeburg County. But our preference remains the creation of a federally regulated Class II bingo facility in Santee," the letter said.

Contact Denyse Clark at 329-4069 or dclark@heraldonline.com