Attorney
Charles Brooks, right, with councilmember Gay Lee
NEWBURGH – The national president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization co-created by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., visited Newburgh Tuesday night to discuss the future of the city with elected officials and community activists.
The visit by SCLC President and CEO Dr. Charles Steele Jr. was to specifically call on the state to reopen Newburgh’s eligibility for a New York gaming license.
No Orange County casino proposals were chosen; the only plan selected in the Hudson Valley/Catskill region was Empire Resorts in Sullivan County.
Steele said there needs to be opportunities created for local residents.
“As president/CEO of Dr. King’s organization, in the spirit of Dr. King, we come here to take care of business and we’re saying we want a fair approach to economic development,” he said. “That’s the bottom line of any society is to create jobs and an educational base for our community.”
Dr. Steele also talked about getting Newburgh put on the map as a destination for international travelers. He said international travelers are “bringing a lot of money” and he believes Newburgh can feasibly be made into an international destination.
Newburgh/Highland Falls NAACP President John Borden said he is interested in the gaming license to get people in Newburgh back to work and offered the first jobs.
Orange County Legislator Curlie Dillard said the local community leaders will continue to meet in an effort to attract new jobs to the city to benefit its residents.
